BioScience Trends. 2010;4(6):344-350.

No relation between folate and homocysteine levels and depression in early pregnant women.

Watanabe H, Suganuma N, Hayashi A, Hirowatari Y, Hirowatari T, Ohsawa M

The objective in this study was to evaluate the association between folate and homocysteine (Hcy) levels and depressive symptoms in early pregnancy. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 86 pregnant women in the first trimester. A Japanese version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale was used to screen for depression. Non-fasting blood samples were collected from the women to measure folate and Hcy levels. Fifty-three (61.6%) women scored at or above a clinical cut-off of 16, and were classified with depression. In logistic regression analyses, no significant associations were observed between the incidence of depression in the first trimester and elevated Hcy and deficiencies of serum folate, folate intake, vitamin B6 intake and vitamin B12 intake. Folate and Hcy concentrations, and folate consumption, may not be protective against depression in early pregnancy.

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