New research has revealed that the types and amounts of microbes in the saliva of pregnant women vary depending on their experiences with stress and symptoms related to anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Recent studies from Michigan State University indicate that the composition and quantity of microbes in the saliva of pregnant women change based on their levels of life stress and symptoms associated with anxiety, depression, and PTSD.
This study, published in the open access journal BMJ Mental Health, is the first of its kind to examine how the diversity of microorganisms in the oral cavity, known as the oral microbiome, relates to the mental health of expectant mothers.
The research involved 224 pregnant women participating in the Michigan Prenatal Stress Study. During their second trimester, these women were evaluated for recent stresses and mental health symptoms. They provided saliva samples as part of their assessments. The findings indicated that the oral microbiomes differed based on whether the women reported symptoms of life stress, anxiety, depression, or PTSD during evaluations.
“Maintaining positive mental health is vital for mothers’ well-being and their capacity to care for their infants,” stated Joseph Lonstein, a professor in MSU’s Department of Psychology and the study’s lead researcher. “We hope our research will inspire future studies about how microbes in various parts of our bodies—beyond the gastrointestinal tract which is often studied—relate to mental health for mothers and individuals without children.”
The oral microbiomes of women exhibiting significant anxiety or depression symptoms showed high alpha diversity, meaning they contained many different species of microbes in fairly equal abundance. Conversely, the oral microbiomes of women with elevated PTSD symptoms displayed high beta diversity, indicating significant differences in the specific microbial species compared to those with lower levels of PTSD symptoms.
Moreover, certain stress and mental health indicators were related to increased levels of particular microbial species.
The researchers suggested that their results point to the possibility of the oral microbiome being a target for interventions aimed at improving mental health issues during pregnancy.
“Successful strategies that target the gut microbiome using probiotics to enhance maternal mental health could be adapted in future research to focus on oral microbes through dietary adjustments, oral health recommendations, and probiotic treatments that may assist mothers facing high stress and mental health challenges,” the research team commented.
