Treating maternal depression can benefit infant brain development, study finds
Research led by the University of Denver suggests mental health support for pregnant women can influence birth outcomes and child development.
Researchers at the University of Denver have found that providing mental health support to mothers during pregnancy can benefit both their own well-being and their children's development, according to a Times Now report.
The study, led by Distinguished University Professor Elysia Davis in partnership with the University of Colorado Anschutz and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, tracked approximately 230 mothers and their children over five years.
Davis noted that as many as one in five pregnant women experience depression or elevated symptoms during pregnancy.
The research team examined the effects of interpersonal psychotherapy on mothers experiencing depression. Mothers in the treatment group saw an 80 per cent reduction in major depressive disorder rates, which Davis described as a five-fold reduction.
Babies born to mothers in the treatment group had longer gestation periods and a lower likelihood of being born prematurely than those in the comparison group.
The study also identified differences in the hippocampal volume of babies in the treatment group. Davis stated that smaller hippocampal volume in these infants predicted better emotion regulation and lower negative emotionality.
Mothers reported that improved mental health allowed them to be more present and have stronger interactions with their babies.