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Objectives: In the present study, we aimed to assess the association between cord blood Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) concentration and maternal depression during pregnancy.
Method: Forty-eight pregnant women admitted for elective caesarean section to The Konya Research and Training Hospital and Konya Necmettin Erbakan University Meram Medical Faculty, department of Obstetrics and Gynecology between October 2011 and August 2012 were enrolled into the study. The study group comprised 23 women diagnosed with depression during pregnancy and the control group included 25 pregnant women, who did not experience depression during pregnancy. The groups were well matched with regard to age, employment and income status, history of abortion, gender of children and the anesthesia technique used during surgery.
Results: Cord blood BDNF concentration was significantly lower in babies, whom was born to mothers with depression as compared with those in the control group. Additionally, the duration of pregnancy was significantly shorter in the group of mothers who had depression and birth weight was significantly less in babies whom was born to mothers with depression.
Conclusion: Given the fact that BDNF plays a major role in neurodevelopment, one may assert that a decrease in BDNF concentration during pregnancy may disturb fetal neurodevelopment (Nieto et al. 2013). The diagnosis and treatment of maternal depression during pregnancy is essential for normal fetal neurodevelopment.