Perinatal depression, childhood adverse experiences and inflammation: a scoping review

Perinatal depression is defined as a depressive episode with onset in the peripartum period, when symptoms should emerge during pregnancy or within four weeks after birth. One major risk factor for perinatal depression is maternal adverse childhood experiences (ACE), which predict depressive symptoms during pregnancy, the postpartum period, and throughout the perinatal period. Also, studies have demonstrated that psychiatric symptoms are correlated with elevated inflammation, with depressed patients exhibiting higher concentrations of proinflammatory biomarkers. Therefore, the aim of this study is to review the literature on ACEs, perinatal depression, and inflammation