A new study published in the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry has found that increasing their intake of omega-3 fatty acids found in fish, could reduce depression after pregnancy.
Child birth may elicit a depressive episode in vulnerable women. According to studies, 10 to 15 per cent of new mothers are at risk of postpartum depression. Postpartum depression is associated with decreased maternal health as well as developmental and behavioural problems for the child later in life.
Montreal researchers have found evidence that suggests a link between postpartum depression and how omega-3 fats work with a gene that regulates ‘feel good’ hormone serotonin. ‘The literature shows that there could be a link between pregnancy, omega-3 and the chemical reaction that enables serotonin, a mood regulator, to be released into our brains,’ lead author Gabriel Shapiro said. ‘Many women could bring their omega-3 intake to recommended levels,’ she added.
Fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, tuna, herring, etc. are great sources. A form of the fatty acid called the ALA is found in soybean, flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, spinach, walnuts and salad greens.
Maternal omega-3 levels decrease during pregnancy, and remain lowered for at least six-weeks following the birth. Shapiro said. This is because omega-3 is transferred from the mother to her foetus and later to her breastfeeding infant. Besides, most people do not consume sufficient amounts of omega-3.
‘So much of what we know about postpartum depression has to do with risk factors that are difficult, if not impossible to change – things like socioeconomic status, personal history of depression or genetic exposures. So this seemed like an exciting risk factor to explore,” Shapiro of the University of Montreal and the Research Centre at the Sainte-Justine Mother and Child Hospital said in an interview.
‘These findings suggest that new screening strategies and prevention practices may be useful,” Shapiro said. More research is needed to make any kind of dietary recommendations, Shapiro warned.
The researchers examined the medical literature for studies on omega-3 fatty acids and postpartum depression in conjunction with a gene known as the 5-HTT gene for their study.