Study finds link between depression and premature children

by Mary Ann Romans

A new study, about premature babies that shows a link between symptoms of depression in pregnant mothers and premature babies, was published yesterday in the medical journal, Human Reproduction.

The study from Kaiser Permanente surveyed hundreds of pregnant patients during their early weeks of pregnancy, using a questionnaire that measured depressive symptoms. Almost half of the women showed severe or significant symptoms of depression.
Depression in women who are expecting is more common than you might think. It is a treatable condition, and women should be aware that ignoring the symptoms may very well lead to to premature delivery, according to the study. Premature babies are at risk from an entire range of health issues. Even a birth a few weeks early can put a baby at risk for conditions such as jaundice and infections.


Pregnant women who shows signs of severe depression are twice as likely to deliver a baby prematurely, compared to women with no sign of depression, the study reveals.
It is not clear how the two conditions are related. Does the depression cause the premature births, or is there some underlying problem that may be leading both to depression and premature delivery? The only thing the study shows for sure is that a link between depression and premature delivery exists.

Pregnant women who suffer depression face a difficult world. Most people expect a pregnant woman to glow and be happy, so when the mood doesn't match the expectation, it can make things worse for the expectant mother. Add in physical symptoms such as morning sickness, exhaustion, and hormone changes. These can all affect the mood of a woman in pregnancy. Concerns about the health of the baby, especially if there is a history of miscarriage can also contribute to the situation.
Women who feel blue or have symptoms of depression during pregnancy should seek medical care. If not for themselves, then for their baby. As mentioned before, depression, even in pregnancy, is very treatable.