Contains information on the following topics: epidemiology of mood disorders in women: gender differences in the prevalence and correlates of mood disorders in the general population: evolutionary concepts of gender differences in depressive disorders: neuroanatomical sex differences: the functional neurochemistry of mood disorders in women: grief and bereavement in women: gender differences in dysthymia: gender differences in dysthymia: unipolar depression in women: bipolar illness: seasonal affective disorder: depression in the elderly: female sex steroids, the brain and behaviour: oestrogens, progestins and mood: behavioural effects of androgens in women: menarche and mood disorders in adolescence: premenstrual dysphoria and related conditions: symptoms, pathopsysiology and treatment: psychopharmacological treatment of mood and anxiety disorders during pregnancy: postpartum psychiatric disorders: the use of psychiatric medications during breast-feeding: pregnancy loss: anxiety and depression in subfertility: the perimenopause: personality disorders: anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa: obesity, weight gain and dieting, alcohol and drug abuse in women: pain: adding to the affective burden: psychoneuroimmunology: implications for mood disorders: sex differences in the psychopharmacological treatment of depression: psychosocial treatments for mood disorders in women: sociogeopolitical issues.