Have Researchers Found the Key to Unlocking Postpartum Depression?

Rising and falling levels of a hormone that prepares a pregnant woman’s body for the rigors of childbirth may be the reason why some women suffer postpartum depression, California researchers have found.

By looking at the levels of corticotropin-releasing hormone, of CRH, in pregnant women, researchers at the University of California, Irvine said they can fairly accurately predict which women will later suffer from the common psychological side-effect of childbirth.

As many as one in five new mothers in the United States experience postpartum depression within four to six weeks after childbirth. Another seven percent of women battle major depression after giving birth. If not properly diagnosed and treated, postpartum depression can lead new mothers to attempt suicide or to harm or neglect their newborns.

Postpartum Depression Linked to Spiked Hormones

In the study, which appeared in the Archives of General Psychiatry, 12 out of 16 women who suffered from postpartum depression also had high levels of CRH in the placenta halfway through pregnancy. CRH is normally produced in small amounts in the hypothalamus, near the brain, to respond to stress. However, in women who become pregnant, the placenta produces up to 100 times as much CRH.

It is believed that the buildup of CRH in the placenta in the weeks and months leading up to birth is the body’s natural way of gearing up for the strain of the event. The sudden deflation of the hormone from the body shortly after birth can cause hormone “withdrawal” and symptoms long associated with postpartum depression, psychologists said.

The researchers found that the bigger the swing in CRH levels from before pregnancy to after birth, the greater the likelihood that the mother would develop postpartum depression. Women who had high levels of CRH 25 weeks into their pregnancy were more likely to experience postpartum depression than women who had lower levels.

Stress Hormones Can Be Symptoms of Problems

The presence of high levels of CRH in the body triggers a variety of reactions in the pituitary and adrenal glands, which in turn cause an increase in the production of stress hormones, like cortisol.

Scientists have previously found that an overactive stress response can contribute to heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and some autoimmune disorders. When stress hormones are produced by a dysfunctional endocrine system, the condition can also lead to the development of mental disorders, such as severe depression, researchers said.

For example, elevated levels of cortisol and other stress hormones are commonly detected in the brains of suicide victims.

Other Factors Noted

In addition to elevated levels of CRH in the body before pregnancy, other contributing factors to developing postpartum depression include previous bouts of depression, a lack of social support, low self-esteem, and a stressful pregnancy, according to the study. Regular blood screening during pregnancy can help detect levels of the hormone at or around 25 weeks in an effort to identify women who may be at greater risk of later suffering from postpartum depression.

Some physicians treat postpartum depression with antidepressant drugs, but the researchers called for a preventative approach built on relaxation techniques, such as prenatal yoga, and strengthening emotional bonds they may be lacking.

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