Randomised trial, 2022
Does having PMS before pregnancy increase the risk of depression during pregnancy?
No significant association was found. A study of 366 women found no clear link between PMS before pregnancy and antenatal depression, though the sample with PMS was very small.
What they did
Secondary analysis of a pregnancy trial. Researchers tracked 366 women's premenstrual symptoms before pregnancy using a period-tracking app and measured depression during pregnancy using a standard depression scale. Of 5073 initial participants, 366 had enough menstrual records, of which 52 had PMS.
What they found
There was no significant association between PMS before pregnancy and antenatal depression, with an adjusted odds ratio of 1.28 (p = 0.61). Only 52 of 366 women analyzed had PMS before pregnancy.
What it means for you
Having PMS does not appear to predict depression during pregnancy, which is reassuring. The main limitation is that only 52 out of 366 women had PMS, making the comparison very small. Also, PMS diagnosis was not confirmed with a validated tool, just tracked symptoms.
366
Women analyzed
52
Women with PMS before pregnancy
1.28
Odds ratio for antenatal depression
About the study
- Original title
- The association between premenstrual syndrome before pregnancy and antenatal depression: A cross-sectional study with prerecorded information
- Authors
- Hidaka Y, Kawakami N, Watanabe K et al.
- Journal
- PCN reports : psychiatry and clinical neurosciences
- Year
- 2022
- Study design
- Randomised trial
- Participants
- 366
- What was tested
- None, this was an observational study
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1002/pcn5.27
Topics
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