Key result
Late-pregnancy maternal depressive symptoms are not associated with altered fetal short-term variation on cCTG.
Why the study?
The study aimed to investigate possible computerized cardiotocography (cCTG) parameter alterations in third-trimester pregnant patients with elevated antenatal depressive symptoms evaluated via the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS).
Does the presence of elevated antenatal depressive symptoms (EPDS ≥ 10) alter computerized cardiotocography (cCTG) short-term variation (STV) and other fetal heart rate parameters in pregnant women at ≥30 weeks gestation?
Cohort (n=205)
No
Does the presence of elevated antenatal depressive symptoms (EPDS ≥ 10) alter computerized cardiotocography (cCTG) short-term variation (STV) and other fetal heart rate parameters in pregnant women at ≥30 weeks gestation?
Maternal depressive symptoms in late pregnancy (EPDS ≥ 10) do not significantly alter computerized cardiotocography (cCTG) parameters, supporting the reliability of standard cCTG fetal surveillance in women with antenatal depressive symptoms.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
May support reliability of standard cCTG surveillance despite antenatal depressive symptoms; leaves open confirmation in larger prospective cohorts.
Introduction: The present study aims to investigate the possible computerized cardiotocography (cCTG) parameter alteration in patients with elevated antenatal depressive symptoms, evaluated in the third trimester of pregnancy through the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Methods: We conducted a prospective observational study from 1 August 2024 to 20 August 2025. All pregnant women (after 30 gestational weeks) were included and underwent cCTG and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) evaluation. Based on their EPDS scores, pregnant women were divided into low (score < 10) or high depressive symptom (score ≥ 10) groups. For all included pregnant women, demographic characteristics and cCTG parameters were recorded. The baseline characteristics and cCTG parameters were compared between groups. Short-term variation (STV) difference represented the primary outcomes. Results: A total of 205 pregnant women were enrolled (median gestational age was 38.1 weeks). Demographic, obstetric, or fetal characteristics were homogenous between the groups. There were no cCTG parameter differences between high- and low-EPDS groups: baseline fetal heart rate (p = 0.743), short-term variability (p = 0.663), long-term variability (p = 0.550), accelerations (p = 0.893), and fetal movements (p = 0.275). The Hodges–Lehmann difference in STV was 0.20 ms (95% CI −0.60 to 1.00), and with excluded differences larger than ±1 ms. EPDS score and cCTG parameter correlations were weak (|ρ| ≤ 0.14). Discussion: Maternal depressive symptoms, in late gestation, were not associated with cCTG parameter alterations. These results excluded differences larger than 1 ms but additional studies are needed to explore the fetal autonomic changes related to the maternal depressive symptoms.
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Verde et al. (2026) conducted a cohort in Pregnant women in the third trimester (≥30 gestational weeks) evaluated for antenatal depressive symptoms (n=205). Elevated antenatal depressive symptoms (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale [EPDS] score ≥ 10) vs. Low antenatal depressive symptoms (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale [EPDS] score < 10) was evaluated on Short-term variation (STV) difference on computerized cardiotocography (cCTG) (Hodges-Lehmann difference 0.20 ms, 95% CI -0.60 to 1.00, p=0.56). Elevated maternal depressive symptoms (EPDS ≥10) in late pregnancy did not alter fetal short-term variation on cCTG compared to low symptoms.
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