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Updated: Jul 17, 2026

Using a Murine Model of Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy as a Translationally Relevant Paradigm for Psychiatric Disorders in Mothers and Infants
Published on: June 13, 2021
Perinatal depressive symptomatology among lesbian and bisexual women
L E Ross1, L Steele, C Goldfinger
1Social Equity and Health Research Section, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada. l.ross@utoronto.ca
Lesbian and bisexual women who were pregnant (N=16), biological (N=18) or non-biological (N=15) parents completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and scores were compared to a previously published heterosexual sample. Lesbian and bisexual biological mothers had significantly higher EPDS scores than the previously published sample of heterosexual women. Results suggest that perinatal depression is not less common and may be more common among lesbian and bisexual women relative to heterosexual women. Additional, longitudinal studies are needed.
Lesbian and bisexual women who were pregnant (N=16), biological (N=18) or non-biological (N=15) parents completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and scores were compared to a previously published heterosexual sample. Lesbian and bisexual biological mothers had significantly higher EPDS scores than the previously published sample of heterosexual women. Results suggest that perinatal depression is not less common and may be more common among lesbian and bisexual women relative to heterosexual women. Additional, longitudinal studies are needed.
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