The "two-way link" between depression and diabetes among pregnant women has been unveiled in a research conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Pregnancy-related depression in the early stages of conception will heighten the chances of gestational diabetes and pave the way for postpartum depression, said the study.
"Our data suggest that depression and gestational diabetes may occur together," said lead author Stefanie Hinkle, a staff scientist at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD).
Published in the journal Diabetologia, the researchers analyzed the data of 2,477 pregnant women from a program of NICHD's Fetal Growth Studies.
In their study, pregnant women were evaluated for depression in the first and second trimesters. The outcome showed that those with depression in the first or second trimester had 1.72 times more probability of developing gestational diabetes.
The study found the risk for gestational diabetes was higher among women with stronger symptoms of depression during both trimesters. Furthermore, gestational diabetes had 4.62 times more risk of postpartum depression.
Gestational diabetes is construed damaging for both mother and baby if left untreated. Hinkle has urged physicians to watch out for depressive symptoms from those who have gestational diabetes and enhance the monitoring over pregnant women with depressive symptoms.
"Until we learn more, physicians may want to consider observing pregnant women with depressive symptoms for signs of gestational diabetes. They also may want to monitor women who have had gestational diabetes for signs of postpartum depression," Hinkle said.
However, NIH researchers are yet to establish a concrete connection between depression and an impaired glucose metabolism. Results of a past study showed that depression had a role in the way sugar is broken down in the body and was an enhancer of blood-sugar levels.
The researchers have now called for more studies to trace the link between depression and diabetes in pregnant women. Tech Times has reported on the risk of depression causing type 2 diabetes.
Side Effects On Babies
According to experts, screening for gestational diabetes should be done between 24th and 28th week of pregnancy. It affects almost 10 percent of all pregnancies.
In gestational diabetes, the pancreas will come under strain to generate insulin but fails to lower blood glucose levels. As a result, the excess glucose moves to the baby via the placenta. This may lead to macrosomia or "fat baby" with the child having low glucose levels at birth.
