Simple blood test can diagnose pregnant women with postnatal depression BEFORE they give birth, study suggests
- Around one in seven new mothers diagnosed with postnatal depression in US
- A team from Johns Hopkins Medicine looked for changes in women’s mRNA
- Analysis revealed levels ‘extensively altered’ in women who went on to suffer
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Pregnant women could be diagnosed with postnatal depression before they have even given birth thanks to a new discovery by scientists.
Around one in seven new mothers are diagnosed with postnatal depression within a year of giving birth in the US, while in the UK it is around one in 10.
The condition is defined by periods of sadness, loneliness and inability to care for their newborns that last longer than two weeks.
But researchers believe they have found a way to diagnose postnatal depression while a woman is still pregnant – using a simple blood test.
A team from Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore collected blood samples from 42 pregnant women.
They looked closely at the system that cells use to communicate with each other, including molecules called messenger RNA (mRNA).
Around one in seven new mothers is diagnosed with postnatal depression within a year of giving birth in the US, while in the UK it is around one in 10 (file)
During pregnancy, this communication system ramps up to address needs for embryo implantation and growth.
The team measured the levels of thousands of different mRNA molecules during the second and third trimester of pregnancy, as well as up to six months after giving birth.
Analysis revealed the mRNA communication levels during pregnancy and the postnatal period were ‘extensively altered’ in the women who developed postnatal depression.
The findings, published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, showed that in women who did develop postnatal depression, levels of some mRNA molecules were higher while some were lower than women who did not develop the condition.
The vast majority of these changes occurred during the pregnancy rather than after the women had given birth, they found.
The researchers said if further studies confirm their findings, they could potentially develop a blood test that can identify women – while they are still pregnant – who are at risk for developing postnatal depression.
Senior author Sarven Sabunciyan said: ‘With postpartum depression, there are many potential negative outcomes such as a high rate of suicide among mothers or a disruption in the baby’s cognitive, emotional and social development.
‘If we could identify mothers who may be more at risk ahead of the birth, we might prevent the adverse events.’
Changes in mRNA communication have also been linked to premature births, gestational diabetes and toxic maternal high blood pressure.
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According to the NHS website many women feel a bit down, tearful or anxious in the first week after giving birth.
This is often called the ‘baby blues’ and is so common that it is considered normal.
However, if symptoms last longer than two weeks or start later, then it could be postnatal depression.
Treatments for the condition include self-help such as exercising regularly and getting enough sleep, psychological therapy or antidepressants.
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Source: Daily Mail
