The role of central serotonergic markers and estradiol changes in perinatal mental health.
Camilla BorgstedStinne HøghEmma Sofie HøgstedLaura Fonnesbech-SandbergKim EkelundCharlotte Krebs AlbrechtsenJulie Therese WiisHanne HegaardEleonora CvetanovskaAnders JuulHanne FrederiksenAnja PinborgPia WeikopVibe G FrøkjærPublished in: Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica (2022)
In a cohort of healthy pregnant women, postpartum mental distress was higher in women with high antepartum 5-HIAA (trend) and lower in women with a large perinatal estradiol decrease. We speculate that high antepartum 5-HIAA is a proxy of SERT levels, that carry over to the postpartum period and convey susceptibility to mental distress. In healthy women, the postpartum return to lower estradiol concentrations may promote mental well-being.