Turner, John J. D., Parrott, Andrew C., Goodwin, Julia, Moore, Derek G., Fulton, Sarah, Min, Meeyoung O. and Singer, Lynn T. (2013) Psychiatric profiles of mothers who take Ecstasy/MDMA during pregnancy: Reduced depression 1 year after giving birth and quitting Ecstasy. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 28 (1). pp. 55-61. ISSN 0269-8811 (Print), 1461-7285 (Online) (doi:10.1177/0269881113515061)

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Abstract

Background:
The recreational drug MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) or ‘Ecstasy’ is associated with heightened psychiatric distress and feelings of depression. The Drugs and Infancy Study (DAISY) monitored the psychiatric symptom profiles of mothers who used Ecstasy/MDMA while pregnant, and followed them over the first year post-partum.

Methods:
We compared 28 young women whom took MDMA during their pregnancy with a polydrug control group of 68 women who took other psychoactive drugs while pregnant. The Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) was completed for several periods: The first trimester of pregnancy; and 1, 4 and 12 months after childbirth. Recreational drug use was monitored at each time point.

Results:
During the first trimester of pregnancy, MDMA-using mothers reported higher depression scores than the polydrug controls. At 1 year after childbirth, their BSI depression scores were significantly lower, now closer to the control group values. At the same time point, their self-reported use of MDMA became nearly zero, in contrast to their continued use of Cannabis/marijuana, nicotine and alcohol. We found significant symptom reductions in those with BSI obsessive-compulsive and interpersonal sensitivity, following Ecstasy/MDMA cessation.

Conclusions:
The findings from this unique prospective study of young recreational drug-using mothers are consistent with previous reports of improved psychiatric health after quitting MDMA.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Drugs; MDMA infants; outcomes; maternal depression
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group:	Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences > Applied Psychology Research Group
Last Modified:	04 Jun 2018 10:38
URI:	http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/19922

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