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Perinatal depression impacts nearly 10–20% of pregnant women, posing risks to both maternal well-being and fetal development.
Nutritional supplementation with probiotics, myo-inositol, and trace elements initiated preconceptionally is a promising strategy to minimize pregnancy complications, boost maternal quality of life, and optimize fetal growth parameters.
Perinatal depression impacts nearly 10–20% of pregnant women, posing risks to both maternal well-being and fetal development. Owing to concerns regarding the safety of antidepressants during pregnancy, interest has grown in exploring nutritional alternatives as supportive therapies. This retrospective cohort study explored the impact of preconception and prenatal supplements on maternal mood, life quality, and fetal outcomes in depressed mothers.
Researchers recruited 314 pregnant females suffering from mild-to-moderate depression (identified by a Zung self-rating depression scale score below 69) and segregated them into 2 groups:
The intervention began 3 months before conception and continued throughout pregnancy. Maternal mental health and quality of life were assessed prior to conception and after delivery utilizing the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule-Now, Patient Health Questionnaire-8, and the World Health Organization Quality of Life–Brief Version. Fetal growth parameters were estimated via ultrasound. Neonatal outcomes were recorded.
In comparison with the control group, the intervention group exhibited lower rates of gestational diabetes mellitus and gestational hypertension (Table 1).
Increased maternal levels of zinc, inositol, iron, and probiotics were noted in late pregnancy among supplemented women. Postpartum assessments revealed reduced anxiety and depressive symptoms, with remarkable improvements in positive affect (P = 0.002), trait anxiety (P = 0.002), and depression severity (PHQ-8, P = 0.018). Quality of life scores improved substantially in the psychological (P = 0.041) and environmental (P = 0.009) domains. Additionally, fetuses in the intervention group illustrated larger biparietal diameter and femoral length, while neonates had greater body length and lower rates of neonatal intensive care admission (2.48% vs. 7.84%).
Preconception and prenatal supplementation with myo-inositol, probiotics, and trace elements appears to lower the risk of pregnancy complications, support maternal mental health, improve quality of life, and promote better fetal growth and neonatal outcomes.
World Journal of Psychiatry
Effects of combined preconception and prenatal myo-inositol, probiotics, and trace element supplementation on the outcomes of depressed mothers
Shu-Fang Qi et al.
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