Comparison of nutrient intake, life style variables, and pregnancy outcomes by the depression degree of pregnant women

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyse effects that the degree of depression have on the life style variables, nutrient intake, iron indices and pregnancy outcome. Subjects were 114 pregnant women who were receiving prenatal care at a hospital in Seoul. We collected data for general characteristics and lifestyle variables from general survey instrument and for depression score from the questionnaire on depression. Dietary intakes of subjects were estimated by 24 hour dietary recall method. Also we analysed iron indices and pregnancy outcomes. We classified subjects by 10 point, which was the average depression score, into two groups [Low depression score group (LS) : High depression score group (HS)]. As to the intakes of total calcium, plant-calcium, plant-iron, potassium, total folate and dietary folate, LS group was far higher than HS group (P < 0.05, P < 0.05, P < 0.01, P < 0.001, P < 0.05, and P < 0.01, respectively). As to pre-pregnancy alcohol drinking, LS group had 41.9% in non-drinker, which was far higher than 28% in HS group in non-drinker (P < 0.05). As for drinking coffee during pre-pregnancy, pregnant women who don't drink coffee in LS group took 43.6%, which was higher than 38% in HS group (P < 0.01). Regarding delivery type, the cesarean section in LS group (18%) was significantly lower than that in HS group (45%) (P < 0.01). Bivariate analysis showed that birth weight was significantly associated with the gestational age (P < 0.01). The pregnant women with higher depression score tended to have undesirable life habit, which might affect negative pregnancy outcomes. A better understanding of how depression and intake of nutrients work together to modulate behavior will be benefit nutritional research.

Intake of dairy products and calcium and prevalence of depressive symptoms during pregnancy in Japan: a cross‐sectional study

“…Regarding calcium intake, our results are in partial agreement with those of the aforementioned Korean study, in which calcium intake was significantly higher in the group scoring low for depression than in the group scoring high for depression. 7 Another cross-sectional study of 105 Korean women aged 41-57 years showed a significant inverse association between calcium intake and selfrated depression. 8 This finding is also in partial agreement with the current results.…”

“…2 The possible role of dairy products and calcium in depressive symptoms has received much less attention; moreover, the findings have been inconsistent. [3][4][5][6][7][8] In Japan, calcium intake during pregnancy is below not only the recommended intake levels for Japan but also the average intake levels in other developed countries. 9 To our knowledge, only one epidemiological study has addressed the association between calcium intake and depressive symptoms during pregnancy.…”

“…9 To our knowledge, only one epidemiological study has addressed the association between calcium intake and depressive symptoms during pregnancy. 7 A cross-sectional study of 114 pregnant Korean women showed that the calcium intake level was significantly higher in the group that scored low on depression (<10 points) than in the group that scored high on depression (≥10 points), based on the Beck Depression Inventory. 7 This finding convinced us to investigate whether a higher calcium intake might have a protective effect against depressive symptoms in pregnant women.…”

Limited Depressive and Anxiety Symptoms Late in Pregnancy Are Not Related to Neonatal Outcomes

“…Prenatal depression has been associated with LBW (17,19,20). However, contradicting findings have also been reported (21)(22)(23)(24)(25), possibly due to differences in study methodology and design (e.g. different psychometric tools, diverse study samples).…”

“…Anxiety symptoms during pregnancy have been reported to be associated with LBW in several studies (16,17,26), while others have not confirmed this association (22,23,(27)(28)(29). A number of studies indicate an association between low Apgar score of the newborn and prenatal depression and anxiety (9,22), while, in other studies, this association does not exist (22,24,25).…”