Environmental Chemicals Closely Linked to Postpartum Depression: JAMA

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a serious and relatively common condition affecting up to 20% of individuals who have recently given birth. While there has been extensive research into PPD, one of the challenges in mitigating its effects has been the limited ability to modify established risk factors. However, a recent study published in the Journal of American Medical Association suggests that exposure to synthetic environmental chemicals commonly found in everyday products could play a role in PPD.

The study, conducted from 2006 to 2020 across five sites in the United States, pooled data from five US birth cohorts within the National Institutes of Health Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) consortium. It aimed to investigate the associations between prenatal exposure to specific environmental chemicals and PPD symptoms.

The environmental chemicals under scrutiny included phenols, phthalates, parabens, and triclocarban, often found in plastics and personal care items. Data from over 2,100 pregnant individuals were collected, with urinary chemical concentrations measured during pregnancy. Postnatal depression screening assessments were conducted between 2 weeks and 12 months after delivery.

The results revealed that nearly all participants had detectable levels of phthalate metabolites and parabens in their urine samples. When assessing PPD using both sensitive and specific definitions, 16.1% and 7.8% of individuals screened positive, respectively.

While linear regression analysis did not show statistically significant associations between depression scores and chemical exposures, there were noteworthy findings. Low molecular weight (LMW) phthalates and high molecular weight (HMW) phthalates appeared to have different impacts. A 1-unit increase in log-transformed LMW phthalates was associated with a potential increase in PPD risk, and HMW phthalates were linked to higher odds of PPD.

These findings suggest that ubiquitous environmental chemicals, particularly phthalates, might be associated with an increased risk of PPD. This raises the possibility of modifiable risk factors for PPD and potential avenues for preventive interventions. However, further research is necessary to confirm these observations.

Source:

Jacobson, M. H., Hamra, G. B., Monk, C., Crum, R. M., Upadhyaya, S., Avalos, L. A., Bastain, T. M., Barrett, E. S., Bush, N. R., Meeker, J. D., Ruden, D. M., Starling, A. P., … Watkins, D. J. (2023). Prenatal Exposure to Nonpersistent Environmental Chemicals and Postpartum Depression. In JAMA Psychiatry. American Medical Association (AMA). https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2023.3542