Table 2

Summary of electroencephalographic studies of postpartum depression

StudyParticipantsDesignOutcome
Karacan et al3213 healthy pregnant womenEEG monitoring at regular intervals in sleep laboratoryStage 4 sleep suppressed during pregnancy
Frank et al5352 women with recurrent depression, of whom 24 had history of pregnancy-related episodes onlyEEG monitoring while not currently pregnant or post partumLonger REM sleep time in women with pregnancy-related episodes
Coble et al54Pregnant women with (n = 14) or without (n = 20) history of affective disorderEEG monitoring at regular intervals from 12 wk gestation to 8 mo postpartum (in participants’ homes)Women with history of affective disorder had:

  • higher rates of middle insomnia in each trimester

  • larger decrease in total sleep time between 36 wk gestation and 1 mo postpartum

  • reduced REM latency from 36 wk gestation to 8 mo postpartum

Lee et al5531 healthy pregnant womenEEG monitoring during each trimester of pregnancy and at 1 mo postpartum at home; mood assessment using CES-D; classified as either positive postpartum affect (< 30% change between third trimester and 1 mo postpartum scores) or negative postpartum affect (> 30% change between third trimester and 1 mo postpartum scores)

  • REM latency significantly shorter at 1 mo post partum than in third trimester

  • Negative affect group slept longer in third trimester but less at 1 mo post partum than positive affect group

  • Negative affect group had greater percentage time awake at night than positive affect group

Godfroid et al568 women with PPD, within 6 mo postpartum; 8 women with MDD and history of PPD; 8 women with MDD and no history of PPDEEG monitoring in sleep laboratory

  • Less reduction in stage 4 sleep, shorter stage 1 sleep in women with PPD (nonsignificant)

  • Better quality of sleep, less frequent and shorter awakenings in women with PPD

  • CES-D = Center for Epidemiological Studies — Depression Scale; EEG = electroencephalography; PPD = postpartum depression; MDD = major depressive disorder; REM = rapid eye movement.