Depression and preterm birth

true or false?

Treating pregnant women for depression may benefit not just them, but their babies as well. A study, in the May issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology included 7,267 pregnant women, of whom 831 had symptoms of depression.

After controlling for maternal age, race, income, body mass index and other health and behavioural characteristics, the researchers found that depressive symptoms were associated with a 27% increased relative risk of preterm birth (less than 37 weeks of gestation), an 82% increased risk of very preterm birth (less than 32 weeks of gestation) and a 28% increased risk of having a baby small for gestational age.

They also found that among those who were treated with antidepressants for depression — about a fifth of those with the diagnosis — there was no association with increased risk for any of these problems. But they acknowledge that this group was quite small, which limits the power to draw conclusions.

Still, the lead author, Dr Kartik K Venkatesh, a clinical fellow in obstetrics and gynecology at Harvard, said it was important to screen mothers for depression, not only for their health but for that of their babies. “By screening early in pregnancy, you could identify those at higher risk and counsel them about the importance of treatment,” he said. “Treating these women for depression may have real benefits.”