Cerebrospinal Fluid CRH Levels in Late Pregnancy Are Not Associated With New-Onset Postpartum Depressive Symptoms

Context: CRH participates in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and in neural circuits involved in the pathophysiology of depression. During pregnancy, the placenta produces large amounts of CRH, and production ceases abruptly after delivery. The relationship between CRH in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) during pregnancy and peripartum mood disorders has not been investigated. Objectives: The objectives were to determine whether there are differences in CSF CRH concentrations of pregnant and nonpregnant women and whether CSF CRH concentrations in late pregnancy are associated with the presence of depressive symptoms during pregnancy and in the early postpartum period. Design: This was a prospective cohort study conducted from January to April, 2011. Setting: The study was conducted in one public and two private hospitals in Brasilia, Brazil. Patients: Patients included 107 healthy pregnant women who underwent elective cesarean delivery and 22 nonpregnant healthy women who underwent spinal anesthesia for elective surgical sterilization. Intervention: CRH in CSF was measured in pregnant and nonpregnant women by ELISA. Main Outcome Measure: The association between CSF CRH concentration at delivery and maternal depression assessed before cesarean section and postpartum (4 to 8 wk) with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), with a cutoff of ≥ 13. Results: CRH concentration in the CSF was significantly higher in pregnant (4.1 ± 0.51 log CRH) than in nonpregnant women (3.6 ± 0.26 log CRH) (P < .001). Depressive symptoms starting after delivery occurred in 5.6% of women. CRH concentration in CSF was not different between women without depressive symptoms and women showing such symptoms during pregnancy or in the postpartum period. Conclusion: CRH concentration in the CSF was higher in pregnant women than in nonpregnant women. However, in this sample, CSF CRH in late pregnancy was not associated with new-onset depressive symptoms in the early postpartum period.