New ECHO research reveals that increasing symptoms of depression may be more common among women who give birth to preterm babies compared to women who have their babies at full term. Mothers of preterm babies were also more likely to experience depression that lasted years after birth, and for many of these women, their symptoms of depression got worse over time. These findings resulted from a collaborative effort between ECHO researchers Danielle Roubinov, PhD of the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and Rashelle Musci, PhD of Johns Hopkins University, along with senior author Nicole Bush, PhD, of UCSF and other ECHO researchers.
Their research, titled “Trajectories of Depressive Symptoms Among Mothers of Preterm and Full-Term Infants in a National Sample,“ is published in Archives of Women’s Mental Health.
The research team collected data from approximately 11,300 women from 35 different ECHO cohorts across the United States that documented self-reported depression measures for women when they were pregnant and after they had their babies. Of these women, 11% had preterm births, and 89% had full-term babies. Follow-up assessments from the two groups of women were collected at least once within the first five years following childbirth to better understand the long-term trajectories of depressive symptoms s and potential opportunities for treatment.
“Having a baby is exciting, but it can also be stressful, and some women feel sad or anxious before and after their baby is born,” said Dr. Roubinov. “This period can be especially difficult for mothers when babies are born prematurely.”
Many mothers can struggle with their mental health after giving birth, and women who give birth prematurely may be particularly at risk of experiencing depressive symptoms related to the birth experience, neonatal care challenges, and ongoing concerns about the infant’s health and development.
“Currently, many doctors only ask women about how they feel when they are pregnant and for six months after birth,” said Dr. Musci. “This study showed us that we should be continuing to ask women about their mental health for years following their pregnancy while helping them to find the support they need.”
Future ECHO studies can add to this research by assessing intervention programs that can help support the mental health of new mothers, as maternal mental health is a critical influence on children’s development.
Learn more about depression during and after pregnancy through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and NIH.