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Physical activity and depressive symptoms among pregnant women: the PIN3 study

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Abstract

Prenatal depression confers health risks for both mother and family. Physical activity may promote better mental health; however, few studies have examined the influence of physical activity on prenatal depression. Data from 1,220 women enrolled in the third Pregnancy, Infection, and Nutrition Study (2001–2005) were used to examine the associations between overall and domain-specific moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and depressive symptoms during pregnancy. Self-reported, past week physical activity assessed at 17−22 weeks’ gestation was modeled in logistic regression with self-reported depressive symptoms assessed by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies—Depression Scale at 24–29 weeks’ gestation. Active women with ≤2.67 h/week of total MVPA had almost half the odds of having high depressive symptoms as compared to women with no MVPA (odds ratio [OR] = 0.56, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.38, 0.83). Increased odds of elevated depressive symptoms were found for women participating in some but ≤2.25 h/week of adult and child care MVPA (OR = 1.84; 95% CI = 1.08, 3.11) and >1 h of indoor household MVPA (OR = 1.63, 95% CI = 0.99, 2.70) when compared to women with no MVPA. While overall MVPA may play a role in reducing the odds of developing elevated depressive symptoms, adult and child care and indoor household activities may increase it.

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Acknowledgements

The third phase of the Pregnancy, Infection, and Nutrition Study (PIN3) was supported byNational Institutes of Health (NIH) grants from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (#HD37584, HD39373), the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (DK61981, DK56350), the National Cancer Institute (#RO1CA109804), and the General Clinical Research Center (#RR00046). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH. The authors would like to thank Drs. David Savitz and John Thorp, principal investigators of the PIN3 Study, for their support of this analysis and Chyrise Bradley, Kathryn Carrier, Diane Kaczor, and Fang Wen for their assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 137 East Franklin Street, Suite 306, CB# 7435, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7435, USA

    Zewditu Demissie, Anna Maria Siega-Riz & Kelly R. Evenson

  2. Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2015A McGavran-Greenberg, CB# 7435, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7435, USA

    Anna Maria Siega-Riz

  3. Department of Biostatistics, Gillings School of Global Public Health, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 135 Dauer Drive, CB# 7420, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7420, USA

    Amy H. Herring

  4. Carolina Population Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 517 Univ Square East, CB# 8120, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, USA

    Nancy Dole

  5. Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Rm 10306, 1st Floor Neurosciences Hospital, CB# 7160, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA

    Bradley N. Gaynes

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  1. Zewditu Demissie
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Correspondence to Zewditu Demissie.

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Demissie, Z., Siega-Riz, A.M., Evenson, K.R. et al. Physical activity and depressive symptoms among pregnant women: the PIN3 study. Arch Womens Ment Health 14, 145–157 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-010-0193-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-010-0193-z

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