OBJECTIVE: To investigate links between psychologic distress and levels of maternal hormones and cortisol during pregnancy and post partum. METHOD: The study population of 308 pregnant or recently delivered women was divided into 4 equal groups, 3 representing each pregnancy trimester and the fourth one representing the first week of the postpartum period. The women were screened for psychological distress and had blood drawn to measure serum levels of estradiol, progesterone, and total cortisol on the same day. RESULTS: The rates of anxiety and depression were higher in the first trimester and the postpartum groups. Depression was correlated with sharp changes in estradiol and progesterone levels; anxiety was correlated with total cortisol level; and there was a correlation between depression and anxiety. CONCLUSION: Sharp changes in maternal hormone levels were correlated with depression; depression was correlated with anxiety; and anxiety was correlated with elevated cortisol levels, which may adversely affect the health of mother and offspring. Measuring maternal hormones may be a diagnostic tool to evaluate psychologic stress and associated risks.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate links between psychologic distress and levels of maternal hormones and cortisol during pregnancy and post partum. METHOD: The study population of 308 pregnant or recently delivered women was divided into 4 equal groups, 3 representing each pregnancy trimester and the fourth one representing the first week of the postpartum period. The women were screened for psychological distress and had blood drawn to measure serum levels of estradiol, progesterone, and total cortisol on the same day. RESULTS: The rates of anxiety and depression were higher in the first trimester and the postpartum groups. Depression was correlated with sharp changes in estradiol and progesterone levels; anxiety was correlated with total cortisol level; and there was a correlation between depression and anxiety. CONCLUSION: Sharp changes in maternal hormone levels were correlated with depression; depression was correlated with anxiety; and anxiety was correlated with elevated cortisol levels, which may adversely affect the health of mother and offspring. Measuring maternal hormones may be a diagnostic tool to evaluate psychologic stress and associated risks.
Authors: Jonathan Buber; Jehu Mathew; Arthur J Moss; W Jackson Hall; Alon Barsheshet; Scott McNitt; Jennifer L Robinson; Wojciech Zareba; Michael J Ackerman; Elizabeth S Kaufman; David Luria; Michael Eldar; Jeffrey A Towbin; Michael Vincent; Ilan Goldenberg Journal: Circulation Date: 2011-05-31 Impact factor: 29.690
Authors: Rita T Amiel Castro; Claudia Pinard Anderman; Vivette Glover; Thomas G O'Connor; Ulrike Ehlert; Martin Kammerer Journal: Arch Womens Ment Health Date: 2016-11-22 Impact factor: 3.633
Authors: Rafael A Caparros-Gonzalez; Borja Romero-Gonzalez; Helen Strivens-Vilchez; Raquel Gonzalez-Perez; Olga Martinez-Augustin; Maria Isabel Peralta-Ramirez Journal: PLoS One Date: 2017-08-28 Impact factor: 3.240