Depression in pregnant moms can influence the babies’ brains

Researchers at the National University of Singapore report the brains of babies whose moms were depressed during pregnancy develop differently, which may increase their risk for mood and anxiety disorders later in life, CBS News reports.

Depression can be common during and after pregnancy. About 13 percent of pregnant women and new moms have depression, according to federal estimates.

Researchers led by Dr. Anqi Qiu, an associate professor at National University who specializes in medical imaging, recruited 157 pregnant women. They completed a questionnaire that measured depression at week 26 of pregnancy. Then within two weeks of being born, babies were given imaging scans of their brains.

The shapes of the amygdala appeared the same in babies whether or not mom was depressed during pregnancy. However, the researchers found less connectivity in the right portion of the amygdala in moms who had the most depressive symptoms. This may make the children more vulnerable to depression and mental illness, the researchers’ said. This risk might be reduced by systematic screening of pregnant women for depression and initiating effective treatment. Treatments include therapy, antidepressant medication or a combination of both.

The Mayo Clinic says the bottom line is, that women who are concerned should speak with their doctor to assess the risks and benefits. Some milder depression cases may be managed with psychotherapy, while people with more severe symptoms may benefit from antidepressants.

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