Women face significantly higher risks of depression and psychosis in the weeks following childbirth, according to a major new analysis published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry. The study, which examined data from nearly 1.8 million births in Sweden between 2003 and 2019, reveals that while mental health diagnoses tend to decrease during pregnancy, they rise sharply after delivery. Researchers from Karolinska Institutet found this pattern particularly pronounced for depression and psychosis, highlighting a critical period of vulnerability for new mothers.

The analysis shows that the risk of depression is approximately 20 percent higher during weeks five to 15 postpartum compared to the year before pregnancy. For psychosis, the risk is even more dramatic—six to seven times higher in the first five weeks after childbirth and twice as high through week 20. Unlike temporary "baby blues," postpartum psychosis is a serious condition characterized by delusions, hallucinations, mania, low mood, and confusion, though women can achieve full recovery with proper treatment.

Notably, the study also found that the risk of suicide attempts decreases after childbirth, suggesting a complex interplay of factors affecting maternal mental health. Women were less likely to be diagnosed with anxiety, stress, or substance abuse during or after pregnancy than beforehand, which researchers attribute to a combination of biological and lifestyle changes. Increased medical visits during pregnancy may also lead to earlier identification of mental health issues before they escalate.

The introduction of national guidelines for screening pregnant women for depression in Sweden in 2020 has provided opportunities for earlier detection and intervention. By comparing women who gave birth before and after the guidelines were implemented, researchers observed potential benefits of systematic screening. The findings underscore the importance of targeted mental health support during the postpartum period to address the heightened risks identified in the study.

Attached to nearly every human cell is an antenna-like structure known as the primary cilium, which senses the cell's environment and controls how it responds to signals from its surroundings. New research from the U.S. and Sweden has mapped and identified hundreds of proteins that comprise these structures, contributing new insights for future research into ciliary biology, disease mechanisms and potential therapies.

Publishing in the journal Cell, researchers from KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Stanford University used advanced imaging and antibody-based techniques to map proteins inside primary cilia across three types of human cells. They analyzed more than 128,000 individual cilia and identified 715 proteins that are located in different parts of the cilium responsible for sensing mechanical or chemical signals, such as hormones. These primary cilia are distinct from motile cilia, which are responsible for movement of fluids or cells.

Professor Emma Lundberg, a researcher in cellular and clinical proteomics at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, says the study also identified a possible gene behind various disorders linked to malfunctions of the cilium. These can lead to disorders affecting many parts of the body, from the brain and eyes to the kidneys and bones. In addition, the researchers discovered 91 proteins that had never before been linked to cilia.

The study expands the current understanding of cilia, casting them as highly adaptable and versatile processors of information, which tune their protein composition to suit the needs of the cell they belong to. "Cells seem to customize the protein composition of their cilia to have them perform specific sensing tasks," Lundberg says. "These newly-discovered ciliary proteins inspire many new hypotheses about their roles in cellular function and human health."