title: Low maternal serum vitamin D during pregnancy and the risk for postpartum depression symptoms.
abstract: Pregnancy is a time of vulnerability for vitamin D insufficiency, and there is an emerging literature associating low levels of 25(OH)-vitamin D with depressive symptoms. However, the link between 25(OH)-vitamin D status in pregnancy and altered risk of postnatal depressive symptoms has not been examined. We hypothesise that low levels of 25(OH)-vitamin D in maternal serum during pregnancy will be associated with a higher incidence of postpartum depressive symptoms. We prospectively collected sera at 18 weeks gestation from 796 pregnant women in Perth (1989-1992) who were enrolled in the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) Study and measured levels of 25(OH)-vitamin D. Women reported postnatal depressive symptoms at 3 days post-delivery. Women in the lowest quartile for 25(OH)-vitamin D status were more likely to report a higher level of postnatal depression symptoms than women who were in the highest quartile for vitamin D, even after accounting for a range of confounding variables including season of birth, body mass index and sociodemographic factors. Low vitamin D during pregnancy is a risk factor for the development of postpartum depression symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, PO Box 855, West Perth, Perth, WA, 6872, Australia, moniquer@ichr.uwa.edu.au.
authors.forename: Monique
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: Andrew J O
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Whitehouse
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Newnham
authors.forename: Shelley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gorman
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jacoby
authors.forename: Barbara J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Holt
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Serralha
authors.forename: Jessica E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Tearne
authors.forename: Pat G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Holt
authors.forename: Prue H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Hart
authors.forename: Merci M H
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Kusel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016017:Odds Ratio; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000097:blood / Q000523:psychology*; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second / Q000097:blood* / Q000523:psychology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012307:Risk Factors; D012621:Seasons; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000097:blood*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D