title: High serum testosterone levels during postpartum period are associated with postpartum depression.
abstract: In view of the reported cases of mood disorders that occur in mothers following childbirth and believing that sex steroid hormones contribute to mood and behavioral changes, this study has been aimed to explore the role of sex steroid hormones as an etiological factor for postpartum depression (PPD). This study was conducted at JIPMER, Puducherry, India between January 2010 and 2011. 103 women were recruited in the study after childbirth, out of which 62 women who were believed to be suffering from PPD were categorized as cases and the remaining 41 with no mood changes as controls, using Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS) (cases had EPDS score ≥10 at 24-28h, controls had score <10 at 24-48h postpartum). The hormones estimated in these two groups included estradiol, progesterone and testosterone, and their levels were compared between these two groups. A significantly high testosterone levels were observed in cases with PPD at 24-28h when compared to controls. Estradiol and progesterone levels did not show significant difference between cases and controls. ROC analysis done at 24-28h showed that testosterone levels beyond 42.71ng/mL predict the development of PPD with 79% sensitivity, 63% specificity, 68% positive predictive value, 74% negative predictive value with AUC being 0.708. This study shows that there is an association between persistent high serum testosterone level in women following childbirth and PPD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry India. Electronic address: aswathishylaja@gmail.com.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aswathi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry India. Electronic address: soundy27@yahoo.co.in.
authors.forename: Soundravally
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rajendiren
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry India. Electronic address: archana.akku.2010@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Archana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nimesh
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, India. Electronic address: raviphilip.r@jipmer.edu.in.
authors.forename: R Ravi
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Philip
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, India. Electronic address: drshivanand@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Shivanand
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kattimani
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, India. Electronic address: jayalakshmi.d@jipmer.edu.in.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jayalakshmi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry India. Electronic address: phananthanarayanan@gmail.com.
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Ananthanarayanan
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry India.
authors.forename: Pooja
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dhiman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019540:Area Under Curve; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000097:blood / Q000523:psychology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D012372:ROC Curve; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol
keywords: Etiology; Postpartum mood disorders; Sex steroid hormones; Testosterone