The importance of mental health wellbeing during pregnancy

In a recent study, the research team found stress, low wellbeing and depression risks are linked to changes in the immune function throughout pregnancy. Even in women without a clinical diagnosis, those with higher stress or depression scores had lower levels of key immune markers like TNF - a, IL-17A and ICAM1. This suggests a suppressed immune response.
Meanwhile, better wellbeing was linked to lower leptin, a hormone associated with inflammation and pregnancy complications in high amounts.

These findings highlight the importance of early mental health screening and support in prenatal care - for the health of both mother and baby.

The article is titled ‘Stress and depression risk in pregnancy associates with altered immune function’ and has been published in The World Journal of Biological Psychiatry. Well done to all those involved across UCD, UCC, Trinity College Dublin, Teagasc Food Research Centre and the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT).

Abstract

Objectives

Psychological factors such as well-being, stress, and depression can influence immune function, with dysregulated inflammation during pregnancy contributing to adverse outcomes. While the role of inflammatory markers has been studied in pregnancy complications like preterm birth and preeclampsia, few studies explore how psychological states impact cellular and serum immune responses in pregnant women. In this study, we investigated associations between psychological factors and inflammatory markers from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and serum in early and late pregnancy.

Methods

This secondary analysis of 70 pregnant women from the MicrobeMom2 RCT investigated associations between psychological factors and inflammatory markers from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and serum in early and late pregnancy. Wellbeing, stress, and depression risk were assessed using the WHO-5 Well-being Index, Perceived Stress Questionnaire, and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Associations between immune markers and psychological factors were analysed using independent t-tests, ANOVA, and linear regression.

Results

Higher well-being correlated with lower leptin levels in late pregnancy serum. Higher stress scores were associated with decreased PBMC-secreted TNF-α in early pregnancy. Increased depression risk was associated with lower serum TNF-α and ICAM1 in early pregnancy and reduced IL17A in late pregnancy.

Conclusions

Well-being, stress, and depression risk are associated with an altered immune response during early and late pregnancy, which may contribute to the relationship between suboptimal psychological states and adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Read the full article (opens in a new window)here.