Postpartum thyroid measures and depressive symptomology: a pilot study.
BACKGROUND
While correlations have been demonstrated between postpartum depression and psychosocial and circumstantial risk factors, some evidence exists for a similar relationship between postpartum depression and thyroid measures.


OBJECTIVE
To search at 4 weeks postpartum for correlations of numerical scores on a postnatal depression screening tool and thyroid measures.


METHODS
Subjects took the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) prenatally and at 4 weeks postpartum. Participants were also given blood tests for thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine4, thyroid peroxidase, and thyroglobulin at the same testing intervals.


RESULTS
Fifty-one subjects aged 18 years or older were recruited. Subjects with higher serum TSH at 4 weeks postpartum tended to have higher EPDS scores. Similarly, the 7 subjects (13.7%) with positive postnatal thyroid antibody tests were more likely than their counterparts to have higher EPDS scores.


CONCLUSIONS
Presence of thyroid autoantibodies or higher TSH levels during the postpartum period may be related to depressive symptoms or dysphoric mood, even when clinical depression is not present. Either or both of these associations may contribute, along with other physiologic and psychosocial risk factors, to postpartum depression. (ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT00565032).
McCoy
Sarah J Breese
SJ
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery, Office of Research, 1111 W 17th St, Tulsa, OK 74107-1898, USA. sjmccoy98@aol.com
Beal
J Martin
JM
Payton
Mark E
ME
Stewart
Audra L
AL
DeMers
Ariana M
AM
Watson
Gary H
GH
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011247:Pregnancy; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000276:immunology; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood*; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
D000906:Antibodies; D013972:Thyrotropin; D013974:Thyroxine