Can Blood Tests Show Postpartum Depression?

    In this Smithsonian Magazine article, a San Diego company plans to launch a blood test that predicts the risk of postpartum depression with more than 80% accuracy. MyLuma would be the first test to use biomarkers that are commercially available to indicate if there is an onset of a psychiatric disorder. This is similar to how blood tests can detect signs of cancer and diabetes, so that pregnant women can know if they are at risk for postpartum depression. This would allow preparation and "reduce the stigma that keeps women from seeking help", as said by Jennifer Payne.

    This had come about when Jennifer Payne, a reproductive psychiatrist, asked why this drop in hormones after childbirth affects some women more than others. She teamed up with Zachary Kaminsky, an epigeneticist, who helped compare female mice given high levels of estrogen compared to those without. They found that estrogen caused specific patterns of methylation inside the hippocampus, which controls mood. Now knowing what to look for in blood samples, they tested women who had a history of mood disorders. They located two estrogen-sensitive genes, HP1BP3 and TTC9B, where more than 80% of those with postpartum depression had one gene with more of a methylation pattern than the other. These changes can even be caught in early pregnancy.

    Not all of the telltale signs are the same in people, and the hunt for more biomarkers is still on. This is a very helpful discovery that can really turn someone's life around. The ability to catch onto postpartum depression can lead to preparation and understanding of these feelings with a professional, instead of finding out after having the child. Helping expectant mothers understand these feelings and why they may happen could eliminate the shame that some mothers have in these emotions and get the proper help they need.