Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 20, 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
Psychological distress in post-partum women after non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) in Japan
Eri Takeda1,2, Nobuhiro Suzumori1, Takeshi Ebara3
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan.
Aim:
The purpose of this study was to clarify the characteristics of psychological mental distress in post-partum women after non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) in Japan.
Methods:
Psychological mental distress was assessed using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6). We compared patients with (i) low pre-NIPT K6 and low post-partum K6 scores (control group), and (ii) low pre-NIPT K6 and a high post-partum K6 scores (case group).
Results:
Among the 697 women who underwent NIPT, 29 (4.2%) had low pre-NIPT K6 and high post-partum K6 scores (case group) and 668 (95.8%) had low pre-NIPT K6 and low post-partum K6 scores (control). Among women with negative NIPT findings, post-partum women with a high K6 score were compared to a control group of women with a low K6 score. Logistic regression analysis showed that primiparity (P = 0.007), low birthweight (P = 0.005) and use of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (P = 0.02) and assisted reproductive technology (P = 0.05) were significantly different between the groups.
Conclusion:
Even if women do not feel mental distress before NIPT, they may develop mental stress post-partum. In particular, primipara women who conceived through assisted reproductive technology (especially intracytoplasmic sperm injection) and gave birth to a low birthweight baby were more susceptible to developing post-partum distress. Thus, it is important to educate women that support is available, with consultation with other healthcare professionals during genetic counseling if necessary. Further studies are needed in order to determine the factors associated with post-partum mental distress.
