A Deeper Shade of Blue

About 15% of women suffer from depression during pregnancy, and many reports have suggested that depression during pregnancy may have negative effects on the fetus A new study has discovered a link between depression and anxiety during pregnancy and infant sleep problems after childbirth.

Dr. Thomas O’Connor and his colleagues evaluated data from a large study in England called the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). They analyzed data from over 14,000 women giving birth. Maternal mood and anxiety levels were assessed during pregnancy and the postpartum period, and infant sleep was assessed at 6, 18, and 30 months. Higher levels of prenatal maternal anxiety and depression predicted more sleep problems at 18 and 30 months.

For instance, O’Connor tells WebMD, “Mothers with elevated anxiety at 18 weeks were 39% more likely to have children with sleep problems at 30 months. Mothers depressed at 32 weeks were about 40% more likely to have a child with sleep problems at 30 months. That’s true even after controlling for smoking, alcohol intake, and postnatal mood.”

O’Connor and his colleagues speculate that the stress hormone cortisol is behind the pregnancy mood and sleep problems link. “We know moms who are anxious in pregnancy have higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol,” he says. “There is an association between a pregnant woman’s level of stress hormone and stress hormone in the amniotic fluid. The placenta has an enzyme that breaks down the stress hormone. But evidently some still gets through.

This is yet another study that points to the importance of screening women for depression and anxiety during pregnancy. Initiating treatment early on may have important beneficial effects for both the mother and her baby.

O’Connor TG, et al. Prenatal mood disturbance predicts sleep problems in infancy and toddlerhood. Early Human Dev 2007;83:451-8.