Mental health and its associations with weight in women with gestational diabetes mellitus. A prospective clinical cohort study

Leah Gilbert; Jean-Benoît Rossel; Dan Yedu Quansah; Jardena J Puder; Antje Horsch

doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2021.110489

Mental health and its associations with weight in women with gestational diabetes mellitus. A prospective clinical cohort study

J Psychosom Res. 2021 Jul:146:110489. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2021.110489. Epub 2021 Apr 20.

Authors

Leah Gilbert¹, Jean-Benoît Rossel², Dan Yedu Quansah³, Jardena J Puder³, Antje Horsch⁴

Affiliations

¹ Obstetric service, Department Woman-Mother-Child, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland. Electronic address: leah.gilbert@chuv.ch.
² Obstetric service, Department Woman-Mother-Child, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland; Clinical Trials Unit, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
³ Obstetric service, Department Woman-Mother-Child, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland.
⁴ Institute of Higher Education and Research in Healthcare (IUFRS), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland; Neonatology Service, Department Woman-Mother-Child, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland.

PMID: 33895430
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2021.110489

Abstract

Objective: Despite the prevalence of depression in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and the relationship between mental health (depression and well-being) and metabolic health, little is known about mental health or its metabolic impact in GDM pregnancy. This prospective clinical cohort study aimed to investigate associations between 1) well-being and depression, and 2) mental health and weight/weight gain in women with GDM.

Methods: We included 334 pregnant women with GDM treated at a Swiss University Hospital between January 2016 and December 2018. They completed two self-report questionnaires: The World Health Organization well-being index (WHO-5) at the first (29 weeks of gestation) and last (36 weeks of gestation) GDM visits during pregnancy and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) at the first GDM visit. A cut-off of ≥11 was selected for this questionnaire to indicate the presence of elevated depression scores.

Results: There was an inverse association between the well-being and depression total scores at the first GDM visit during pregnancy (r = -0.55; p < 0.0001). Elevated depression scores at the first GDM visit were associated with subsequent weight gain in GDM pregnancy (β = 1.249; p = 0.019).

Conclusion: In women with GDM, elevated depression scores during pregnancy are prospectively associated with weight gain. Depression symptoms should therefore be screened for and treated in women with GDM to reduce the risks associated with excessive weight gain during pregnancy.

Keywords: Depression; EPDS; Pregnancy; WHO-5; Weight; Well-being.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Cohort Studies
Diabetes, Gestational* / epidemiology
Female
Humans
Mental Health
Pregnancy
Prospective Studies
Risk Factors