Prenatal depression effects on neonates

Sixty-three pregnant women (36 with depression symptoms) were recruited dur ing their last trimester of pregnancy. The depressed mothers had higher cor tisol and norepinephrine levels and lower dopamine levels. Their infants su bsequently had higher cortisol and norepinephrine levels and lower dopamine levels at the neonatal stage. The neonates of depressed mothers also showe d inferior performance on the orientation, reflex, excitability, and withdr awal clusters of the Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment. Stepwise reg ression analyses revealed that the depressed mothers' prenatal norepinephri ne and dopamine levels significantly predicted the newborns' norepinephrine and dopamine levels and their Brazelton scores highlighting an early bioch emical influence on neonatal outcome.