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Investigating the dynamic relations between maternal sleep and depression across pregnancy
Melissa Nevarez-Brewster1, Anna M Zhou1,2, Jenalee R Doom1
1University of Denver, Department of Psychology, USA.
Journal of Mood and Anxiety Disorders
|February 2, 2026
Summary
Prenatal sleep problems and depression symptoms are dynamically linked, each predicting the other throughout pregnancy. Early detection of sleep issues may help identify worsening depression, and vice versa.
Area of Science:
- Perinatal mental health research
- Psychiatry and sleep science
Background:
- Sleep problems and depression are common during pregnancy, affecting maternal and infant health.
- Bidirectional relationships between sleep and depression across pregnancy are not well understood.
- This study investigates the dynamic interplay between prenatal sleep issues and depression symptoms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the bidirectional associations between prenatal maternal sleep problems and depression symptoms.
- To understand how sleep and depression influence each other dynamically throughout pregnancy.
Main Methods:
- 222 pregnant participants completed questionnaires at 17, 28, and 35 weeks' gestation.
- Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index assessed sleep quality; Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale measured depression symptoms.
- Cross-lagged panel models analyzed the temporal relationships between sleep and depression.
Main Results:
- Sleep problems independently predicted depression symptoms across pregnancy.
- Depression symptoms independently predicted sleep problems across pregnancy.
- Specific associations were found between early/mid-pregnancy sleep and mid/late-pregnancy depression, and vice versa.
Conclusions:
- Prenatal sleep problems and depression symptoms have a reciprocal, independent relationship throughout pregnancy.
- Monitoring sleep in early pregnancy can aid in detecting escalating depression, and vice versa.
- Findings highlight the importance of addressing both sleep and depression in perinatal care.
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