Disordered sleep is related to delusional ideation and depression during the perinatal period

Objectives: This study investigates the associations between sleep disturbances, delusional ideation (DI), and depressive symptomatology across the perinatal period. Methods: A community sample of 316 mothers completed the Sleep Symptom Checklist, Peters Delusional Inventory, and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale at three time points: second trimester of pregnancy (12-14 weeks gestation), third trimester (32-34 weeks gestation), and two months postpartum. Results: Longitudinal path analysis revealed a bidirectional relationship between sleep disturbance and DI across pregnancy. Sleep disturbances in early pregnancy directly predicted symptoms of depression in late pregnancy and had an indirect effect on postpartum depression through DI in late pregnancy. Conclusions: Our results suggest that disturbed sleep during pregnancy plays a role in increased levels of DI and depressive symptoms during pregnancy and postpartum. (C) 2020 National Sleep Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.