Persistent sadness, fatigue, changes in sleep and appetite, or loss of interest are common symptoms in mothers suffering from perinatal depression. How do these symptoms evolve? A pioneering study followed the paths of mothers with this condition. It concluded that high sensitivity to internal and external stimuli can increase the risk of depression, while partner support during pregnancy has a protective effect.

The perinatal period is defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as the interval of time that begins at the 22nd week of pregnancy and ends 7 days after the infant is born. This period is marked by significant physiological and psychological changes, making it a difficult time for many women. Between 10% and 25% of women are vulnerable to perinatal depression, which can emerge during pregnancy and persist up to one year after childbirth. Persistent sadness, fatigue, changes in sleep and appetite, or loss of interest are common symptoms, with a significant impact on the emotional health of the mother and infant.

Although the symptoms of perinatal depression are well identified, there is less knowledge about how these symptoms evolve. To deepen this field, a study led by Maria Spinelli, with the support of the BIAL Foundation, was the first to track the perinatal depression trajectories at four different time points – in late pregnancy, and at 3, 6, and 9 months postpartum.

As part of this work, researchers from the G. d'Annunzio Chieti-Pescara University and the University of Pavia (Italy) carried out a longitudinal study with 88 mothers without a clinical diagnosis, exploring the roles of individual factors, such as SPS - Sensory Processing Sensitivity (which consists of greater awareness and reactivity to internal and external stimuli), and contextual factors, such as the global partner support.

In the article “Maternal depression during the perinatal period: the role of Sensory Processing Sensitivity and social support and its impact on infants’ negative affect”, published in the scientific journal Frontiers in Psychology, the researchers revealed that they had also examined the role of prenatal depression on infants’ negative affect temperament as an early marker of emotional adjustment.

The results showed that mood declines immediately after giving birth, but tends to improve over time, with mothers with high sensitivity and less partner support being more vulnerable to negative feelings. High sensitivity can therefore increase the risk of depression, while partner support during pregnancy has a protective effect. The research also revealed that prenatal depression could influence the infant's emotional reactivity, particularly increasing their proneness to negative affect, acting as a prenatal stressor.

Maria Spinelli states that “this study can help create support programmes for mothers, promoting better emotional adjustment for them and their infants”. Given its significant impact, “partner participation should be an essential component of parenting programmes designed to nurture positive relationships from the very beginning of pregnancy, laying the foundations for supportive family dynamics and a healthier transition to parenthood”, the researcher stresses.

As far as the mother-infant dyad is concerned, enhancing and promoting affective interactive touch in the postpartum period can improve the bond between the two, reducing stress, with benefits for both the mother's emotional state and the infant's emotional adjustment. “The positive role of tactile experience can serve as a basis for intervention programmes aimed at promoting safe and supportive relationships in early life”, Spinelli points out.

Learn more about the project “131/20 - From inner to dyadic connection: The effect of mindfulness intervention on mother-infant bio-behavioural synchrony” here.