Depression among women with reproductive system disorders

Monday, August 26, 2024

6:00 PM – 6:15 PM CEST

Location: Room XV

Presenting Author(s)

Mette Bliddal, PhD (she/her/hers)

Associate professor
Research Unit OPEN, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
University of Southern Denmark
Odense C, Denmark

Slides

Co-Author(s)

Rikke Wesselhoeft, MD

Associate Professor
Research Unit of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark
University of Southern Denmark
Odense C, Denmark
Lotte Rasmussen, MScPharm, PhD

Assistant professor
University of Southern Denmark
Odense, Denmark
MJ

Magdalena Janecka

Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA, United States
NZ

Nina Zaks

Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA, United States
LK

Lone Kjeld Petersen

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Odense, Denmark, Denmark
Sofie D. Egsgaard, MSPH (she/her/hers)

PhD-Student
Clinical Pharmacology, Pharmacy and Environmental Medicine, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
Odense, Denmark
PB

Peter Bjødstrup Jensen

Clinical Pharmacology, Pharmacy, and Environmental Medicine, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark, Denmark
TM

Trine Munk-Olsen

Professor
Research Unit of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark, Denmark

Background: Women have a two-fold higher risk of depression compared to men with the risk particularly high in periods of hormonal fluctuation. Reproductive system disorders (RSDs) affect hormonal fluctuation, yet little is known about how these affect and co-occur with depression.

Objectives: We described the incidence and prevalence of depression in women with RSDs and a comparator group in a six-year window surrounding their first RSD diagnosis. The underlying hypothesis is that RSDs are associated with depression and that due to the challenges related to precisely identifying time of onset of both conditions, any association with depression would be seen both before and after a diagnosis of a RSD.

Methods: In a descriptive study using Danish nationwide health registers, we included all women with RSDs not related to pregnancy/childbirth (24 diagnoses) at age 15-49 years (2005-2018). Within each RSD, we formed an age-matched comparison group. We calculated the incidence rate, two-year incidence rate ratio (±1 year from RSD diagnosis), and prevalence proportion of a diagnosis of depression or use of antidepressants in the time period surrounding the diagnosis of RSD (±3 years).

Results: Of 2,295,824 Danish women, 289,674 (13%) were registered with ≥1 RSD. Women with any RSD had a higher incidence rate of depression ±3 years from the diagnosis than comparators, peaking in the year following the RSD diagnosis. The two-year incidence rate ratios of depression for different RSDs ranged between 1.18 (95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.09-1.28) and 1.97 (95% CI 1.87-2.08). The prevalence proportion of depression was consistently higher in women with RSDs, and this was already observed three years before diagnosis.

Conclusions: Women diagnosed with RSDs are more likely to be diagnosed with depression compared to comparators. The difference in risk was present three years before the RSD diagnosis, and persisted up to three years after diagnosis. Since RSDs affect more than 10% of women, our findings underscore the need to modify clinical practice to address mental well-being along with the physical symptoms of women diagnosed with RSDs.