Researchers have found that difficulty controlling emotions during pregnancy can predict postpartum depression

This disorder can have a lasting impact on both mother and child. However, recognising the risk in time remains one of the major challenges of modern medicine: more than half of cases go undetected.

A new study published in the journal Nature Mental Health shows that it is possible to recognise a predisposition to perinatal depression as early as the second trimester of pregnancy. This is reported by The Conversation.

Scientists from Sweden analysed data from more than 600 women who participated in the national project Mom2B, which monitors the mental state of pregnant women using a mobile application. The focus was on the future mothers' ability to regulate their emotions - to understand and accept them, to stay focused in stressful situations and to recover from emotional upheavals.

In the second trimester, participants completed a questionnaire assessing their ability to manage their emotions. They were then monitored for a year after giving birth, assessing their level of depression using the Edinburgh Postnatal Test scale.

The results showed that women who had difficulty controlling their emotions during pregnancy were more likely to experience depressive symptoms both while expecting a baby and in the first six months after giving birth. And the association persisted even when other risk factors - such as previous episodes of depression, pregnancy loss, fear of childbirth or negative birth experiences - were taken into account.

Most strikingly, the signs of vulnerability appeared long before the first symptoms of depression. This means that a simple questionnaire during pregnancy can be an important tool for early diagnosis and prevention.

Emotion regulation is a key psychological skill that helps you cope with stress, maintain relationships and keep you mentally healthy. During pregnancy, when hormonal and physical changes occur and anxiety and expectations are heightened, this skill is especially important. Women who struggle to cope with their emotions find themselves more vulnerable to developing depression.

The good news is that emotion regulation is a skill that can be developed. Cognitive behavioural therapy techniques and mindfulness practices have proven effective in building emotional resilience. These approaches are already being adapted for pregnant women and help not only to prevent depression but also to improve the bond between mother and child.

Despite the prevalence of perinatal depression, systematic screening is still lacking in many countries. Where it does exist, it is usually carried out after birth, when the time for prevention has passed.