EON

Toronto – Because of important research that has been done, it has been discovered that a hormone is linked to the depression some women experience following pregnancy. Researchers say that high levels of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) are signs that a women will develop depression after their pregnancy. This hormone is produced by the placenta. This news come courtesy of a study that was released in the Archives of General Psychiatry.

Women who experience postpartum depression often feel hopeless and isolated. One of the researchers of the news, Dr. Ilona S. Yim, said that “The high incidence and severe consequences of postpartum depression make the identification of women at risk an important research goal.”

The researchers discovered this was the case once they conducted a study where the aforementioned hormone was tested to see how high it was throughout the pregnancy. 100 women were monitored, research beginning during the 15th week of their pregnancy.
To further investigate, the researchers conducted a study in which hormone levels in the blood were measured several times throughout pregnancy in 100 women, starting at week 15. Sixteen women developed postpartum depression.

The group suggests screening for the hormone to gauge or predict postpartum depression.