Depression and Oxidative Stress in Pregnancy: A Cross-Sectional Study of Trimester-Specific Changes

BACKGROUND: The scientific community continues to debate the relationship between pregnancy depression and oxidative stress marker changes. The study tracked oxidative stress marker development in pregnant women with depression from the beginning to the end of their pregnancy. METHOD: Sixty-two pregnant women were included in the cross-sectional study. According to the Beck Depression Scale, the pregnant women were divided into depressed (n = 23, score ≥ 10) and control (n = 39, score < 10) groups. Catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were measured in blood samples. RESULTS: The Beck score was 17.83 ± 6.86 in pregnant women with depression and 4.51 ± 2.54 in the control group (p < 0.001). There was no difference between the groups in baseline CAT, SOD, and MDA levels (p > 0.05). MDA levels in pregnant women with depression increased significantly in the third trimester compared to the second trimester (from 4.02 ± 0.49 to 6.19 ± 0.52 nmol/mL, p < 0.01). A positive correlation was found between body mass index and MDA (r = 0.300, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The progression of pregnancy leads to increased lipid peroxidation in depressed women but depression itself does not impact oxidative stress markers. The extent of oxidative damage increases when mothers become obese during pregnancy.