Early Pregnancy DNA Methylation Signatures as Predictors of Antenatal Depressive Symptoms: A longitudinal study of DNA methylation changes

medRxiv 2026 Preprint Open access

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Authors: Kuppan Gokulakrishnan, Chinnasamy Thirumoorthy, Kuldeep Kumar Sharma, Mohan Deepa, Venkatesh Ulagamadesan, Bettadapura N. Srikumar, Bhaskarapillai Binukumar, Uma Ram, Ranjit Mohan Anjana, Muthuswamy Balasubramanyam, V. Bharathi Mohan, Ponnusamy Saravanan
DOI: 10.64898/2026.02.04.26345531
Cited by: 0
References: 46

Abstract

Abstract Background Antenatal depressive symptoms (ADS) are common and underdiagnosed, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, and are associated with adverse maternal and offspring outcomes. Current screening relies on subjective symptom reporting, limiting early identification and prevention. Epigenetic modifications, particularly DNA methylation, offer a promising avenue for objective, early biomarkers of depression risk during pregnancy. Methods In this nested case–control design within the STRiDE (Stratification of Risk of Diabetes in Early Pregnancy study) prospective cohort, 189 pregnant women with no depressive symptoms in early pregnancy (

Fields of Study & Subjects

Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum Epigenetics and DNA Methylation Prenatal Screening and Diagnostics

Publication details

Journal / source
medRxiv
Publication date
4 February 2026
Document type
Preprint