Vitamin D status during pregnancy and the risk of subsequent postpartum depression: a case-control study

PLoS One. 2013 Nov 27;8(11):e80686. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0080686. eCollection 2013.

Abstract

Epidemiological studies have provided evidence of an association between vitamin D insufficiency and depression and other mood disorders, and a role for vitamin D in various brain functions has been suggested. We hypothesized that low vitamin D status during pregnancy might increase the risk of postpartum depression (PPD). The objective of the study was thus to determine whether low vitamin D status during pregnancy was associated with postpartum depression. In a case-control study nested in the Danish National Birth Cohort, we measured late pregnancy serum concentrations of 25[OH]D3 in 605 women with PPD and 875 controls. Odds ratios [OR) for PPD were calculated for six levels of 25[OH]D3. Overall, we found no association between vitamin D concentrations and risk of PPD (p = 0.08). Compared with women with vitamin D concentrations between 50 and 79 nmol/L, the adjusted odds ratios for PPD were 1.35 (95% CI: 0.64; 2.85), 0.83 (CI: 0.50; 1.39) and 1.13 (CI: 0.84; 1.51) among women with vitamin D concentrations < 15 nmol/L, 15-24 nmol/L and 25-49 nmol/L, respectively, and 1.53 (CI: 1.04; 2.26) and 1.89 (CI: 1.06; 3.37) among women with vitamin D concentrations of 80-99 nmol/L and ≥ 100 nmol/L, respectively. In an additional analysis among women with sufficient vitamin D (≥ 50 nmol/L), we observed a significant positive association between vitamin D concentrations and PPD. Our results did not support an association between low maternal vitamin D concentrations during pregnancy and risk of PPD. Instead, an increased risk of PPD was found among women with the highest vitamin D concentrations.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Depression, Postpartum / etiology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Odds Ratio
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications
  • Risk Factors
  • Vitamin D / blood*
  • Vitamin D Deficiency / complications
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Vitamin D

Grants and funding

The Danish National Birth Cohort was established by the Danish Epidemiology Science Centre, Department of Epidemiology, Institute of Public Health, University of Aarhus, Denmark, and funded by Danish National Research Foundation, Danish Pharmaceutical Association, Ministry of Health, National Board of Health, Statens Serum Institut, BIOMED, March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation, Danish Heart Association, Danish Medical Research Council, Egmont Foundation, Augustinus Foundation, the Health Foundation and the European Union (QLK1-2000-00 083). The present study was funded by a 1-year research grant from the Danish Research Council for Health and Disease (10-094025) and the Lundbeck Foundation (R67-A6489). The funders had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.