Impact of Depressive Symptoms during the Second Trimester of Pregnancy on Maternal and Fetal Heart Rate Variability |
Heeyeon Kim 1,2, Kyungun Jhung 3, Dukyong Yoon 4,5,6, Jihoon Seo 4, Hee Young Cho 7, Jin Young Park 1,2,5,* |
1Department of Psychiatry, Yongin Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 2Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Yonsei University Health System, 3Department of Psychiatry, International St. Mary’s Hospital, Catholic Kwandong University College of Medicine, 4Department of Biomedical Systems Informatics, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 5Center for Digital Health, Yongin Severance Hospital, Yonsei University Health System, 6Institute for Innovation in Digital Healthcare, Severance Hospital, 7Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine |
Abstract
Objective: This study explores how maternal depressive symptoms during the second trimester, a critical phase for Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) development, affect maternal and fetal Heart Rate Variability (HRV) in the third trimester, with implications for infant development.
Methods: We examined the effects of second trimester maternal depression on subsequent maternal and fetal HRV. A cohort of women in early or late second trimester completed depression assessments using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and underwent HRV evaluations in the third trimester.
Results: Among 118 participants, 97 completed the EPDS at 14-20 weeks, with 12 showing depressive symptoms. At 21-28 weeks, 111 participants were assessed, and 24 were identified as possibly depressive. Depressive symptoms were linked to increased maternal pNN50% ((percentage of successive NN intervals differing by more than 50 ms) and decreased detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) alpha, indicating hemodynamic shifts. Their fetuses showed reduced root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD), standard deviation of successive differences (SDSD), and short-term and long-term variability indices (SD1 and SD2), suggesting weakened parasympathetic activity.
Conclusions: Prenatal depression influences maternal physiological adaptation and fetal ANS development, highlighting HRV as a potential biomarker for predicting neurodevelopment. Early identification and treatment of mid-pregnancy depressive symptoms may help mitigate potential risks to infant neurodevelopment.
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Accepted Manuscript [Submitted on 2024-10-29, Accepted on 2025-01-16] |
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