Gut microbiota: Linking nutrition and perinatal depression

Perinatal depression is a mood disorder occurring during pregnancy (prenatal) and after childbirth (postnatal), with its onset linked to fluctuations in reproductive and stress hormones, as well as neurosteroids. These biochemical changes may be influenced by the gut microbiota, which plays a role in maternal mental health through the gut-brain axis. Emerging research indicates that dietary and nutritional strategies—such as supplementation with vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, iron, and fiber—can help prevent or lessen symptoms of maternal depression and anxiety. However, variability between individuals with regard to gut microbiota may impact the effectiveness of these therapies. Probiotics, which help maintain microbial balance, show promise in modulating the risk of perinatal mood disorders, although there is currently no direct evidence from human studies. As such, further clinical trials are necessary to determine how probiotic supplementation could affect perinatal depression and related behavioral outcomes. This article by Song et al. (2022) explores how nutrition, gut microbiota, and mood are interconnected and highlights the potential of probiotics to influence the development of perinatal depression. [NPID: Fiber, perinatal depression, nutrition, microbiota, probiotics]

Year: 2022

Reference: Song, J., Zhou, B., Kan, J., Liu, G., Zhang, S., Si, L., Zhang, X., Yang, X., Ma, J., Cheng, J., Liu, X., & Yang, Y. (2022). Gut microbiota: Linking nutrition and perinatal depression. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2022.932309

Related Studies

Association between dietary patterns during the third trimester and the risk of postpartum depression in China

This 2019 study recruited 1,659 participants from Tianjin, China. The researchers assessed the participants’ diets using food frequency questionnaire, as well as their depressive symptoms at 6-12 weeks postpartum (after giving birth) in order to investigate the association between dietary patterns and incidence of postpartum depression among Chinese women. Six dietary habits were identified among […]

Maternal postpartum diet and postpartum depression: A systematic review

This 2020 systematic review retrieved data from existing studies (search ranging from 1835-2020) and examined the association between maternal postpartum diet and postpartum depression (PPD). Of the 931 relevant articles identified, six met the eligibility criteria, of which four were cross-sectional and two had a cohort design. All but one study found at least one […]