Association between dietary intake in each trimester during pregnancy and postpartum depression and hypochondriasis

Abstract

Background: The aim of the present study was to assess pregnant mothers' nutritional supply in each trimester and psychological status in postpartum with an emphasis on post pregnancy depression disorder and hypochondriasis.Methods: This was a three-year prospective cohort study that 1319 pregnant women referred to rural health centers in Bandar Abbas, Iran were enrolled. The data were collected using a checklist including socioeconomic and fertility characterize, food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) for measurement of dietary intake, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) to diagnose postpartum depression (PPD), Evans hypochondriasis questionnaire was used to diagnose hypochondriasis.Results: The finding showed that prevalence of PPD and hypochondriasis were 91(6.8%) and 553(42%), respectively. The results showed that intake of iron, selenium, iodine, folate, vitamin C, B12, EPA in all trimesters and intake of vitamin c in second trimester was significantly associated with PPD (P<0.05); as intake of those micronutrients was significantly lower in women with PPD rather than women without that. Moreover, our finding showed that intake of iron, iodine, folate, selenium, EPA in all trimesters was significantly associated with hypochondriasis (P<0.05); as intake of those micronutrients was significantly lower in women with hypochondriasis rather than women without that.Conclusions: Considering the pregnancy and lactation are major nutritional stressors to body and our finding in relation between poor nutrition intake of iron, iodine, folate, selenium, EPA, vitamin C and mood disorders (PPD and hypochondriasis), greeter attention to nutritional factors in psychological status during postpartum is warranted.