Background: The role of depressive symptoms and optimism on the risk of spontaneous abortion has not been well examined. Prior studies have documented that emotional stress can affect immune and endocrine function, which may in turn influence fertilization, implantation, embryogenesis, and successful fetal growth.
Methods: We enrolled pregnant women coming to the emergency department at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania from January 1999 through August 2001 to examine the role of depressive symptoms and optimism on spontaneous abortion. Cases were women who experienced a spontaneous abortion during the follow-up period (n = 174), and controls were women who maintained their pregnancy through 22 weeks (n = 798). Baseline interviews collected measures of depressive symptoms, using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and optimism using the Life Oriented Test-Revised (LOT-R).
Results: We did not find a significant, prospective relationship between depressive symptoms or optimism and the risk of spontaneous abortion in our specific study population.
Conclusions: The impact of depressive symptoms and optimism on pregnancy outcomes should be examined further in other populations.