Chronic prenatal depression and neonatal outcome.
Four hundred and thirty pregnant women were recruited at approximately 22 weeks gestation at prenatal clinics. Of these, 86 (20%) were diagnosed as depressed. The women were seen again at approximately 32 weeks gestation and after delivery. Chronicity of depression was evidenced by continuing high depression scores in those women diagnosed as depressed. Comorbid problems were chronically high anxiety, anger, sleep disturbance, and pain scores. Less optimal outcomes for the depressed women included lower gestational age and lower birthweight of their newborns.
Touch Research Institutes, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida 33101, USA. tfield@med.miami.edu
Tiffany
T
Field
Miguel
M
Diego
Maria
M
Hernandez-Reif
Barbara
B
Figueiredo
Saul
S
Schanberg
Cynthia
C
Kuhn
Osvelia
O
Deeds
Jennifer
J
Contogeorgos
Angela
A
Ascencio
D002908:Chronic Disease; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000652:urine*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000523:psychology* / Q000652:urine; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000523:psychology*; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000523:psychology / Q000652:urine; D012647:Self-Assessment; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D006854:Hydrocortisone