The association between depressive symptoms and smoking in pregnant adolescents

There have been no studies that have specifically examined the relationship between smoking and depressive symptoms in Australian pregnant adolescents. Eighty one pregnant adolescents completed an adapted version of Lawson's (1994) Smoking Questionnaire and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Smoking status (smokers vs. non-smokers) and depressive symptoms remained stable during pregnancy. However, comparisons of depressive symptoms across smoking categories revealed that pregnant adolescent smokers were more likely to be depressed than pregnant adolescent lifetime non-smokers, particularly in the later stages of pregnancy. There was a weak association between the number of cigarettes smoked and depressive symptoms, but only in the third trimester. Recommendations include further examination of the association between depression or depressive symptoms and smoking, and investigation of how change in smoking status during pregnancy may effect depression.