Nutrition and stress as causes of prenatal depressive symptoms: Amrita Roy's MSc thesis under supervision of Drs. Campbell, Evers and Avison
Main findings: This study identified that social disadvantage, higher stress and lower zinc intake were associated with higher depressive symptoms, and that zinc intake lowered the effect that stress had on depressive symptoms.
Summary:The purpose of this study was to look at the role that zinc intake and stress have in the development of maternal depressive symptoms during pregnancy. Data were collected as part of the Prenatal Health project and involved administration of telephone interviews with prenatal women between 10 and 22 weeks’ gestation. Depression symptoms were measured using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. This study found that social disadvantage, higher stress and lower zinc intake were associated with higher depressive symptoms, and that zinc intake lowered the effect that stress had on depressive symptoms. Another notable finding was that having other children prior to the current pregnancy proved to be protective against depression. Possible explanations for this could include: emotional satisfaction associated with parenting, less depressed individuals are more likely to be in a position to have additional children, or it could relate to the anxiety and fears associated with the first pregnancy
The impact of infant admission to specialized care on the trajectories of maternal depressive symptoms: Kristine Sharpe's MSc thesis under supervision of Drs. Campbell, Avison, and Sharma
Main findings: This study found that infant admission to specialized care was not significantly associated with trajectories of maternal depression, though depression symptoms decreased from pregnancy to postpartum with the presence of a number of factors.
Summary: The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of neonatal admission to specialized care on the course of depressive symptoms from pregnancy to postpartum. Depression symptoms were measured using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. Through analysis of mothers from the Prenatal Health Project, this study found that depression in pregnancy, lower current stress, higher current social support and higher current child health were associated with depressive symptoms that decrease from pregnancy to postpartum. Infant admission to specialized care was not significantly associated with trajectories of maternal depression. It was also found that depressive symptoms in this sample were higher in pregnancy than in postpartum.
Depressive symptoms during pregnancy in relation to fish consumption and intake of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids: Jessica Sontrop's PhD thesis under supervision of Drs. Campbell, Avison, Evers, and Speechley
Main findings: The study found that depression symptoms were significantly higher for lower intakes of omega-3 fatty acids but only among current smokers and women of single/separate/divorced marital status.
Summary: The purpose of this study was to examine whether prenatal depressive symptoms were associated with lower intakes of fish or n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Depression symptoms were measured using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. The study found that depressive symptoms were significantly higher for lower intakes of fatty acids among current smokers and women of single/separate/divorced marital status. Though this relationship was not present in the entire sample, only in these two specific subgroups. It was also found that fish consumption was unrelated to depressive symptoms after control for other factors. Also of note is that fewer than 15% of participants consumed the recommended intake amounts of fatty acids.
Determinants of maternal antenatal state-anxiety: Role of maternal feelings about the pregnancy: Salwa Akiki's MSc thesis under supervision of Drs. Campbell, Avison and Speechley
Main findings: There were several factors that impacted maternal anxiety in the second trimester, including: greater stress, feeling unsure/unhappy about pregnancy, having low self esteem, low mastery and low social support.
Summary: The purpose of this study was to better understand the factors that impact anxiety levels during pregnancy. This study found that there were several significant factors that impacted maternal anxiety in the second semester, including: greater stress, feeling unsure or unhappy about the pregnancy, having low self esteem, low mastery and low social support. Anxiety levels decreased through the second trimester, which may be related to the second trimester being a period of higher stability compared to the first and third trimesters. This study contributes knowledge aiming to help women improve their mental health during pregnancy. It led to policy recommendations that intervention strategies be focused on women with lower social support, those who are suspected to have lower self-esteem and mastery and those who have high stress. Also, women who feel unhappy or unsure about their pregnancy may be important targets for support and for preventative and therapeutic strategies.
Maternal depression and breastfeeding: Impact on infant development: Lauren Switzer's MSc thesis under supervision of Drs. Campbell, DeWitt, and Xie
Main findings: Increasing breastfeeding duration for three months was associated with a small increase in infant development. Also of note is that an increase in maternal depressive symptoms was associated with a decrease in infant development.
Summary: The purpose of this study was to test the links between maternal depression, breastfeeding, and infant development. The study also analyzed the role that infant gender had on these factors. They found that an increase in maternal prenatal depressive symptoms was associated with postnatal depressive symptoms. This same relationship occurred with anxiety symptoms. An increase in breastfeeding duration of three months was associated with a small increase in infant development. An increase in maternal depressive symptoms was associated with a moderate decrease in infant development. Male infants were more profoundly influenced by the duration of breastfeeding than the experience of psychosocial distress symptoms. Close to half of the results of the infant development scores among the sample were explained by a relationship with anxiety/depression, though the overall effect was relatively small.
