Post-natal Depression and Chronic Stress

Chronic Stress Protection for Post-natal Depression Prevention: An Exploratory Study

The risk of emergence of a post natal depression is based on an interaction between a maternal psychic vulnerability and a chronic environmental context of stress. The PND appears as a relevant model for studying the mechanisms of chronic stress and vulnerability to psychological pathologies.

This study aim to follow a cohort of pregnant women to determine the predictive psychobiological factors of the emergence of postnatal depression

The prevalence of postnatal depression is high in civilian settings (20%). In mechanistic terms, the risk of emergence of a post natal depression is based on an interaction between a maternal psychic vulnerability and a chronic environmental context of stress. The post natal depression appears as a relevant model for studying the mechanisms of chronic stress and vulnerability to psychological pathologies.

• On the one hand, the repetition of stressors during pregnancy corresponds to a natural chronic stress model of several months and thus allows to study the biological cost of responses to repeated stresses, and the adaptive mechanisms leading to From functional drift to psychic dysfunction.
• On the other hand, isolated vulnerability factors characterize a mirroring psychological profile of a Mindfulness type of functioning. Mindfulness or full consciousness has been described as a state of consciousness which results from intentionally, at the present moment, without judging the experience that unfolds moment by moment. This psychological resource has been associated with resilient or even resilient psychic functioning.

This study aim to follow a cohort of pregnant women from the first trimester of pregnancies to 2 months after the delivery to determine the predictive psychobiological factors of the emergence of postnatal depression

Inclusion Criteria:

• Physiological pregnancy
• Follow-up of pregnancy in a participating maternity
• Female over 18 years
• Affiliated to a social security scheme

Exclusion Criteria:

• Multiple pregnancy
• Psychiatric, neurological, or endocrine or autoimmune diseases
• Hormonal or psychotropic treatments