New Blood Test shows Promise in Predicting Postpartum Depression
A new blood test is showing over 80% accuracy in predicting the risk of postpartum depression (PPD). the test measures levels of allopregnanolone metabolites - chemicals produced when the body breaks down the hormone allopregnanolone - and women with higher levels were more likely to develop PPD.
Key findings & Implications:
* Biological basis: Researchers believe this test could help destigmatize PPD by framing it as a biological issue, rather then solely psychological. As Jennifer Payne of the University of Virginia states, "If we have a blood test, it brings psychiatry down to the level of biology, which I think your average person can understand as something that needs treatment and that isn't just in somebody's head."
* Allopregnanolone as Treatment: allopregnanolone is already used to treat PPD. Synthetic versions, brexanolone (IV infusion, FDA-approved 2019) and zuranolone (oral, FDA-approved 2023), are considered "transformative therapies" due to their rapid effects. Proactive use of zuranolone in high-risk women is a possibility being considered.
* Early Intervention: The blood test could allow for earlier intervention and potentially prevent suffering by identifying women at risk before symptoms develop.
* Further Research: Other potential biomarkers are also being investigated:
* RNA in Fatty Bubbles: A study found differences in RNA types carried in blood (specifically a decrease in RNA related to autophagy - cellular cleansing) in women who developed PPD.
* Protein Biomarkers: Researchers at Cedars-Sinai have identified patterns of protein biomarkers associated with perinatal depression and anxiety (details not fully provided in this excerpt).
Sources:
* A study co-led by Lauren M. Osborne (Weill Cornell Medicine) and Jennifer Payne (University of Virginia).
* A 2025 article in the Annual review of Medicine.
* A 2022 article in Molecular Psychiatry.
* Research from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.