Medical Minute: Researchers Developing Blood Test For Postpartum Depression Diagnosis

New mothers often experience postpartum depression differently, and the condition can be challenging to diagnose, according to medical experts.

Brooke Wiesner, a mother of three, shared her struggle with postpartum depression after the birth of her youngest child, Maeve. Despite her love for her daughter, Wiesner experienced overwhelming feelings and suicidal thoughts.

“I didn’t feel about her the way I felt like I should have. It was all I could do to get out of bed,” Wiesner said.

Wiesner’s diagnosis took months, and antidepressants proved ineffective. Her story highlights the potential importance of a groundbreaking diagnostic tool under development at Johns Hopkins University: a blood test designed to identify postpartum depression even before childbirth.

Researchers are studying extracellular vesicles (EVs), tiny sacs in the bloodstream that carry genetic material from the brain.

“What we’re finding is that these extracellular vesicles are releasing things, and it looks like RNAs from the brain,” one researcher explained.

Abnormal levels of specific RNA molecules in EVs are linked to brain disorders such as postpartum depression, schizophrenia, and epilepsy. Scientists believe these molecules could serve as biomarkers for early diagnosis.

The test could also help tailor treatments by identifying which patients are most likely to respond to specific medications.

“If we can figure out which people are going to respond to what drugs, that’d be a big deal,” researchers noted.

The blood test offers hope for diagnosing and treating new mothers like Wiesner, potentially even before their babies are born.