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According to a new study, dark days of winter may increase the risk for postpartum depression in pregnant women whose third trimester of pregnancy occur during the short,dark days of winter, this has to do with reduced exposure to sunlight.
Increase intake of vitamin D and regular exposure to daylight can boost their levels of vitamin D. The study was led by Deepika Goyal, a professor of nursing at San Jose State University. Researchers reviewed data on nearly 300 first-time mothers who took part in randomized controlled sleep trials before and after pregnancy.
They examined the amount of daylight during the women’s last trimester of pregnancy and other risk factors for postpartum depression like medical history, age, socioeconomic status and sleep quality. Overall, participants had a 30 percent risk for depression. Their odds were strongly influenced by the number of daylight hours during the last month of pregnancy and immediately after delivery.
They discovered that women who were in the late stages of pregnancy during winter had a 35 percent risk the highest scores — for postpartum depression and severe symptoms. Women whose third trimester coincided with longer hours of daylight had a 26 percent risk for depression. History of mental health may increase the risk.