The PREGO Study: A Preconception Cohort to Better Understand Perinatal Mental Health

Studies assessing perinatal mental health often lack a prospective pre-pregnancy assessment. Administering measures in preconception could lead to a better understanding of changes occurring over time. This study sought to examine changes in mental health during preconception and the first trimester of pregnancy. The PREGO Study (N = 411 participants) includes 393 participants with preconception mental health data; of these, 174 also had data in the first trimester of pregnancy. We assessed symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, distress and sleep health. Results of repeated measures ANOVA showed that symptoms of depression increased (F(1, 265.46) = 26.03; d adapted = 0.26) while stress (F(1, 251.24) = 5.95; d adapted = 0.12) and sleep health (F(1, 161.18) = 9.76; d adapted = 0.17) decreased from preconception to the first trimester of pregnancy. Other indicators remained stable. Our results highlight the need for mental health assessments from preconception through postpartum to better understand trajectories of perinatal mental health.