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Eriksson A, Kimmel MC, Furmark T, Wikman A, Grueschow M, Skalkidou A, Frick A, Fransson E. Investigating heart rate variability measures during pregnancy as predictors of postpartum depression and anxiety: an exploratory study. Transl Psychiatry 2024; 14:203. [PMID: 38744808 PMCID: PMC11094065 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-02909-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Perinatal affective disorders are common, but standard screening measures reliant on subjective self-reports might not be sufficient to identify pregnant women at-risk for developing postpartum depression and anxiety. Lower heart rate variability (HRV) has been shown to be associated with affective disorders. The current exploratory study aimed to evaluate the predictive utility of late pregnancy HRV measurements of postpartum affective symptoms. A subset of participants from the BASIC study (Uppsala, Sweden) took part in a sub-study at pregnancy week 38 where HRV was measured before and after a mild stressor (n = 122). Outcome measures were 6-week postpartum depression and anxiety symptoms as quantified by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). In total, 112 women were included in a depression outcome analysis and 106 women were included in an anxiety outcome analysis. Group comparisons indicated that lower pregnancy HRV was associated with depressive or anxious symptomatology at 6 weeks postpartum. Elastic net logistic regression analyses indicated that HRV indices alone were not predictive of postpartum depression or anxiety outcomes, but HRV indices were selected as predictors in a combined model with background and pregnancy variables. ROC curves for the combined models gave an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.93 for the depression outcome and an AUC of 0.83 for the anxiety outcome. HRV indices predictive of postpartum depression generally differed from those predictive of postpartum anxiety. HRV indices did not significantly improve prediction models comprised of psychological measures only in women with pregnancy depression or anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison Eriksson
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
- Women's Mental Health during the Reproductive Lifespan - WOMHER, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Mary Claire Kimmel
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Tomas Furmark
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Anna Wikman
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Marcus Grueschow
- Zurich Center for Neuroeconomics (ZNE), Department of Economics, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Alkistis Skalkidou
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Andreas Frick
- Department of Medical Sciences, Psychiatry, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Emma Fransson
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
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Răchită AIC, Strete GE, Sălcudean A, Ghiga DV, Rădulescu F, Călinescu M, Nan AG, Sasu AB, Suciu LM, Mărginean C. Prevalence and Risk Factors of Depression and Anxiety among Women in the Last Trimester of Pregnancy: A Cross-Sectional Study. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2023; 59:1009. [PMID: 37374213 DOI: 10.3390/medicina59061009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Pregnancy represents a psychologically and emotionally vulnerable period, and research indicates that pregnant women have a higher prevalence of symptoms of anxiety and depression, debunking the myth that hormonal changes associated with pregnancy protect the mother. In recent years, several researchers have focused on the study of prenatal anxiety/depression-emotional disorders manifested by mood lability and low interest in activities-with a high prevalence. The main objective of this research was to conduct an antenatal screening in a cohort of pregnant women hospitalized for delivery in order to assess the prevalence of anxiety and depression. The secondary objective was to identify the risk factors associated with depression and anxiety in women in the third trimester of pregnancy. We carried out a prospective study in which we evaluated 215 pregnant women in the third trimester of pregnancy hospitalized for childbirth at the Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic of the Târgu-Mureș County Clinical Hospital. The research was carried out between December 2019 and December 2021. The results showed that age and the environment of origin are the strongest predictors of mental health during pregnancy (OR = 0.904, 95%CI: 0.826-0.991; p = 0.029). For women from urban areas, there is an increased probability of falling at a higher level on the dependent variable (moderate depression) (OR = 2.454, 95%CI: 1.086-5.545; p = 0.032). In terms of health behaviors, none of the variables were statistically significant predictors of the outcome variable. The study highlights the importance of monitoring mental health during pregnancy and identifying relevant risk factors to provide appropriate care to pregnant women and the need for interventions to support the mental health of pregnant women. Especially in Romania, where there is no antenatal or postnatal screening for depression or other mental health conditions, these results could be used to encourage the implementation of such screening programs and appropriate interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anca Ioana Cristea Răchită
- Doctoral School, "George Emil Palade" University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology from Târgu Mureș, 540139 Târgu Mureș, Romania
| | - Gabriela Elena Strete
- Department of Psychiatry, "George Emil Palade" University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology from Târgu Mureș, 540136 Târgu Mureș, Romania
- Mental Health Center, Mureș County Clinical Hospital, 540072 Târgu Mureș, Romania
| | - Andreea Sălcudean
- Department of Ethics and Social Sciences, "George Emil Palade" University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology from Târgu Mureș, 540136 Târgu Mureș, Romania
| | - Dana Valentina Ghiga
- Department of Medical Scientific Research Methodology, "George Emil Palade" University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology from Târgu Mureș, 540136 Târgu Mureș, Romania
| | - Flavia Rădulescu
- Department of Endocrinology, "George Emil Palade" University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology from Târgu Mureș, 540136 Târgu Mureș, Romania
| | - Mihai Călinescu
- Graduate of Cluj School of Public Health, Babes-Bolyai University Cluj Napoca, 400347 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Andreea Georgiana Nan
- First Department of Psychiatry, Clinical County Hospital, 540139 Târgu Mureș, Romania
| | - Andreea Bianca Sasu
- First Department of Psychiatry, Clinical County Hospital, 540139 Târgu Mureș, Romania
| | - Laura Mihaela Suciu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic II, "George Emil Palade" University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology from Târgu Mureș, 540136 Târgu Mureș, Romania
| | - Claudiu Mărginean
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic II, "George Emil Palade" University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology from Târgu Mureș, 540136 Târgu Mureș, Romania
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Marti-Castaner M, Hvidtfeldt C, Villadsen SF, Laursen B, Pedersen TP, Norredam M. Disparities in postpartum depression screening participation between immigrant and Danish-born women. Eur J Public Health 2021; 32:41-48. [PMID: 34864938 PMCID: PMC9090168 DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckab197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Qualitative studies suggest that immigrant women experience barriers for postpartum depression (PPD) screening. This study examines the prevalence of participation in PPD screening in the universal home-visiting programme in Denmark, in relation to migrant status and its association with acculturation factors, such as length of residence and age at migration. METHODS The sample consists of 77 694 births from 72 292 mothers (2015-18) that participated in the programme and were registered in the National Child Health Database. Lack of PPD screening using the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS) was examined in relation to migrant group and acculturation factors. We used Poisson regression with cluster robust standard errors to estimate crude and adjusted relative risk. RESULTS In total, 27.8% of Danish-born women and 54.7% of immigrant women lacked screening. Compared with Danish-born women, immigrant women in all groups were more likely to lack PPD screening (aRR ranging from 1.81 to 1.90). Women with low acculturation were more likely to lack screening. Women who migrated as adults [aRR = 1.27 (95% CI 1.16, 1.38)] and women who had resided in Demark for <5 years [aRR = 1.37 (95% CI 1.28, 1.46)] were more likely to lack screening. CONCLUSIONS Immigrant women in Denmark, particularly recent immigrants, are at increased risk of not being screened for PPD using the EPDS. This can lead to under-recognition of PPD among immigrant women. More work is needed to understand how health visitors recognize the mental health needs of immigrant women who are not screened, and whether this gap results in reduced use of mental health services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Marti-Castaner
- Department of Public Health, Section of Health Services Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Sarah Fredsted Villadsen
- Department of Public Health, Section of Social Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Bjarne Laursen
- Department of Health and Social Context, National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Trine Pagh Pedersen
- Department of Health and Social Context, National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Marie Norredam
- Department of Public Health, Section of Health Services Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Fransson E. Psychoneuroimmunology in the context of perinatal depression - Tools for improved clinical practice. Brain Behav Immun Health 2021; 17:100332. [PMID: 34589817 PMCID: PMC8474604 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2021.100332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal mental health spans in a temporary manner from pre-conception through the phases of pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period (i.e., perinatal). The psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) field has made important contributions to the knowledge of the pathophysiology of poor perinatal mental health, but the PNI lens could be used more broadly to inform clinical practice. This review argues that PNI holds the key to several important aspects of variations in mental health for pregnant and postpartum women. This review describes existing knowledge from studies on immune activation in maternal depression during pregnancy and postpartum, and other important features such as stress reactivity, the microbiome, and its metabolites. The importance of objective measures for screening and prediction is discussed as well as the need for novel therapeutics to treat poor mental health in the perinatal period. The PNI framework could thus be further applied to inform research about the mechanisms of perinatal psychiatric morbidity, which could pave the way for future precision medicine for perinatal mental health issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Fransson
- Centre for Translational Microbiome Research, Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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Listening Visits for maternal depression: a meta-analysis. Arch Womens Ment Health 2021; 24:595-603. [PMID: 33452571 DOI: 10.1007/s00737-020-01101-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Listening Visits are a non-directive counseling intervention delivered by nurses to depressed postpartum women. In 2007, Listening Visits were listed as a recommended treatment in British national guidelines. They were removed from the guideline update, due to the small effect size drawn from a meta-analysis of five clinical trials with depressed and non-depressed postpartum women. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to provide an estimate of the true population effect of Listening Visits as a treatment for maternal depression compared to control conditions. A meta-analytic review was conducted of studies published before October 2020. Inclusion criteria required that the study was a pragmatic or randomized trial of Listening Visits delivered by non-mental health specialists to mothers with elevated symptoms of maternal depression. Post-treatment depression rates for the treatment and control groups were extracted from eligible studies. Six studies met eligibility criteria which included 703 participants. Analyses of observed effect sizes corrected for study artifacts revealed an estimate of 0.66 (95% CI: 0.32, 0.99) with high heterogeneity (Q = 17.95, p = 0.003, I2 = 72.14). After removing outliers and addressing heterogeneity across observed effect sizes, the meta-analytic estimate across four methodologically similar studies and 651 participants was 0.43 (95% CI: 0.24, 0.62). The moderate effect size for Listening Visits, considered together with the advantages afforded by how, where, and who provides this treatment, supports Listening Visits as a first-line intervention in a stepped care approach for mothers with mild to moderately severe depression symptoms.
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Cox J. Perinatal mental health around the world: a new thematic series. BJPsych Int 2020; 17:1-2. [PMID: 34287401 PMCID: PMC8277532 DOI: 10.1192/bji.2019.32] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 11/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
International multiprofessional teams in primary and secondary care have much to teach psychiatrists, researchers and service planners about the perinatal mental health field. This editorial introduces a new series of papers in BJPsych International on perinatal mental health around the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Cox
- Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry, Keele University, UK.
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