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. 2024 Nov 15:365:56-64.
doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.08.059. Epub 2024 Aug 12.

A bioecological longitudinal study of depressive symptoms from pregnancy to 36 months postpartum

Nicolette C Molina  1 , Anna M Zhou  2 , Parisa R Kaliush  3 , Sarah E Maylott  3 , Ashley E Pappal  2 , Kira R Wright  2 , Dylan Neff  4 , Jonathan E Butner  2 , K Lee Raby  2 , Elisabeth Conradt  5 , Sheila E Crowell  6
Affiliations

A bioecological longitudinal study of depressive symptoms from pregnancy to 36 months postpartum

Nicolette C Molina et al. J Affect Disord. .

Abstract

Purpose: Depressive symptoms during the perinatal period have broad and enduring health implications for birthing parents and their offspring. Rising prevalence rates of perinatal depression highlight the need for research examining factors influencing depressive symptoms during pregnancy, and trajectories during the early postnatal period. Grounded in bioecological systems theory, this longitudinal multimethod study examined whether prenatal bioecological factors predict depressive symptoms from pregnancy to 36 months postpartum.

Methods: Participants were 162 pregnant individuals, oversampled for high emotion dysregulation, who completed a life stress interview and physiological assessment during the 3rd trimester and a self-report measure of depression at five time-points (3rd trimester, within 48 h of birth, 7, 18, and 36 months postpartum). Multilevel models were used to test study aims.

Results: Participants exhibited the highest levels of depressive symptoms at 3rd trimester, and substantial variability in depressive symptom trajectories over time. Lower resting respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), an index of parasympathetic nervous system functioning, in the 3rd trimester was associated with higher concurrent depressive symptoms. Higher levels of stress related to partner relationships, finances, and health were concurrently associated with more depressive symptoms during pregnancy and decreases in depressive symptoms over time. Specifically, depressive symptoms decreased only for individuals who reported high levels of stress during pregnancy.

Limitations: Although grounded in bioecological systems theory, this study did not assess the macrosystem.

Conclusions: Results of this study underscore the importance of multilevel predictors of perinatal health and highlights potential targets for preventing depression and promoting well-being during the perinatal transition.

Keywords: Bioecological; Depression; Life stress; Postpartum; Pregnancy; RSA.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of competing interest The authors declare they have no conflicts of interest.

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