Reproductive hormones and postpartum mood disturbances in Greek women.
OBJECTIVE
Postpartum mood disturbances are common among Greek women, with postpartum depression (PPD) being as high as 19%. This study aimed to investigate whether sex steroid hormone levels affect the incidence of postpartum mood disturbances.


METHODS
Fifty-seven women were evaluated for postpartum mood disturbances using the Postpartum Blues Questionnaire and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale on the 1st and 6th week. Serum estradiol, progesterone and testosterone concentrations were measured upon admission for delivery and daily until the fourth postpartum day. We then studied the association between hormone levels and the scores in the two psychometric scales.


RESULTS
Testosterone was the only hormone that was marginally associated with psychometric scoring in simple regression analysis. (Postpartum Blues during days 1-4: b = 4.291, 95% C.I. -0.796 to 9.377 and p-value = 0.096). Women with lower testosterone drops had higher scores in Postpartum Blues Questionnaire. This association, however, lost statistical significance in the multivariable analysis after adjusting for pregnancy duration. In multiple regression analysis, only pregnancy duration had the most constant adverse effect on psychometric scores: The shorter the duration of pregnancy, the higher the scores for Postpartum Blues. (r = -0.39, p < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings do not indicate an association between the occurrence of postpartum mood disorders and sex steroid hormone levels. Preterm labour may be associated with a higher risk of postpartum mood disturbances.
Chatzicharalampous
Charalampos
C
Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Athens, Aretaieio Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Rizos
Demetrios
D
Pliatsika
Paraskevi
P
Leonardou
Angeliki
A
Hasiakos
Dimitrios
D
Zervas
Ioannis
I
Alexandrou
Andreas
A
Creatsa
Maria
M
Konidaris
Sokratis
S
Lambrinoudaki
Irene
I
D000328:Adult; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006771:Hospitals, Maternity; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D058725:Peripartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011644:Puerperal Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
D013739:Testosterone; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol