The relationship of nocturnal melatonin to estradiol and progesterone in depressed and healthy pregnant women.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the relationship between nocturnal plasma melatonin and serum estradiol (E(2)) and progesterone (P(4)) levels in depressed pregnant women (DW) and matched healthy women (HW).


METHODS
We used analysis of variance (ANOVA) and linear regression analyses on data obtained from pregnant HW and DW.


RESULTS
Log E(2) and log P(4) were positively correlated with measures of melatonin quantity in HW (p<0.05) but not DW, controlling for age. Log E(2) and log P(4) were positively correlated with melatonin offset and duration in DW (p<0.01) but not HW.


CONCLUSIONS
Pregnant DW may be less sensitive than HW to modulation of melatonin secretion by E(2) and P(4). That melatonin timing measures are more sensitive to E(2) and P(4) variation in DW may reflect a circadian system more attuned to the need for realignment in DW than in HW. These altered sensitivities to reproductive hormones may reflect a biologic vulnerability that predisposes some pregnant women to depression.
The Center for Chronobiology, Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804, USA.
Emerson S
ES
Posadas
Charles J
CJ
Meliska
Luis F
LF
Martinez
Diane L
DL
Sorenson
Ana M
AM
Lopez
Sara
S
Nowakowski
Richard
R
Hauger
B L
BL
Parry
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002140:California; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008550:Melatonin / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000097:blood*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood*
D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D008550:Melatonin