Healthcare (Commonwealth Union) – Pregnancy is often a time of joy and excitement for most families, but for many women, it can also be a period of emotional turbulence and heightened vulnerability to depression. Postnatal depression, in particular, remains a significant concern, affecting not only the mother but also her infant and family. While looking into the complexities of pregnancy and postnatal depression, it is vital to look at the importance of early detection, support, and treatment.
A strong support network is crucial for women experiencing depression during and after pregnancy. Partners, family members, and friends can play a vital role in offering emotional support, practical assistance, and encouragement.
Routine screening for depression during pregnancy and the postpartum period have often helped ensure early detection and intervention.
A recent study by the University College London (UCL) researchers suggests that the oxytocin system—which facilitates milk release and enhances the connection between mother and child—may be influenced by postnatal depression during breastfeeding.
Published in Psychoneuroendocrinology, the study examined the relationship between a mother’s emotional state and oxytocin activity during breastfeeding in both mothers with and without postnatal depression symptoms.
Oxytocin, a hormone released in both the brain and body, plays a crucial role in labor, breastfeeding, and social interactions. It is particularly important in fostering intimacy and strengthening bonds during infancy.
During breastfeeding, oxytocin triggers the ‘let-down’ reflex, prompting milk flow, and is activated in both the mother and infant through skin-to-skin contact.
Additionally, oxytocin interacts with specific brain regions to alleviate stress and promote feelings of reward, supporting the bonding process between mother and baby while aiding early childhood development.
Mothers dealing with postnatal depression often experience heightened stress while breastfeeding and may stop nursing earlier than expected. While social and environmental factors likely play a role in this, it remains unclear whether postnatal depression directly impacts the oxytocin system.
In the UK, more than one in ten women develop postnatal depression within a year of giving birth. Symptoms can include persistent sadness, irritability, restlessness, and difficulty sleeping.
To explore this further, researchers conducted a study involving 62 new mothers, aged 23 to 44, each with an infant between three and nine months old. Before breastfeeding, participants were given a nasal spray containing either oxytocin or a placebo.
Breast milk samples were then collected and analyzed for oxytocin levels. The researchers observed that, initially, maternal mood did not influence oxytocin levels in breast milk.
However, while mothers without postnatal depression showed an increase in oxytocin levels after using the nasal spray, this response was noticeably weaker in mothers experiencing postnatal depression.
The lead author, Dr Kate Lindley Baron-Cohen (UCL Psychology & Language Sciences) says “Our findings indicate that the oxytocin system is affected by postnatal depression in new mothers in the context of breastfeeding. Since higher levels of oxytocin in mothers are associated with positive outcomes in a child’s social development and in their mental health, these results point to a possible pathway through which infants of mothers experiencing postnatal depression may be at greater risk of later mental health vulnerabilities.”
These findings suggest a new avenue for research, focusing on how oxytocin is influenced by postnatal depression and identifying the most effective treatments to assist mothers who wish to breastfeed but face difficulties.
This research was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research ARC North Thames, the Lord Leonard and Lady Estelle Wolfson Foundation, the Wellcome Trust, the University of York, the Fund for Psychoanalytic Research through the American Psychoanalytic Association, the International Psychoanalytical Association, the Michael Samuel Charitable Trust, the Denman Charitable Trust, and the Galvani Foundation.
