{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,30]],"date-time":"2026-07-30T13:04:35Z","timestamp":1785416675711,"version":"3.56.0"},"reference-count":49,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"14","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,14]],"date-time":"2026-07-14T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1783987200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/100007592","name":"Al-Balqa Applied University","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["DSR-2023#590"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["DSR-2023#590"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100007592","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"award":["DSR-2023#590"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["DSR-2023#590"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/00qedmt22","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is an established risk factor for postpartum depression (PPD), yet its psychobiological mechanisms remain poorly characterized. This study aimed to profile the psychological and biochemical-associated factors of PPD among women with GDM in Jordan. Methods: A prospective observational study recruited 204 pregnant women from three Jordanian hospitals. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was administered antepartum and at 4\u20139 weeks postpartum, with EPDS \u2265 13 used to define probable PPD. Antepartum serum serotonin, cortisol, and CRP were measured by ELISA in a biomarker subsample of 115 participants (84 non-GDM and 31 GDM). Of 54 women diagnosed with GDM, 44 completed the postpartum EPDS and were included in the within-GDM psychological analysis; 25 of these also had stored antepartum serum and were included in the within-GDM biomarker analysis. Analyses were exploratory, consistent with a pilot design. Results: Probable PPD was identified in 26 of 44 GDM women (59.1%). GDM status did not predict PPD in the full cohort (p = 0.237). Within the GDM subgroup, women with probable PPD had significantly higher antepartum EPDS scores (p = 0.003), and elevated perceived stress (p = 0.049), than those without probable PPD. In the within-GDM biomarker subsample (n = 25), antepartum serum serotonin was significantly lower in women with probable PPD (p &lt; 0.001); CRP and cortisol did not differ significantly. Serotonin and cortisol showed the strongest inverse correlations with postpartum EPDS (both p &lt; 0.01). Among GDM women without antepartum depression, 19.0% developed new-onset PPD. Conclusions: In our study, GDM women who develop probable PPD exhibit a distinct profile of antenatal vulnerability and lower serum serotonin levels. Routine perinatal mental health screening and biomarker investigation are warranted in this high-risk group. Findings should be confirmed in larger, adequately powered cohorts.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm15145524","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,15]],"date-time":"2026-07-15T01:05:58Z","timestamp":1784077558000},"page":"5524","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Serum Serotonin Levels and Postpartum Depression in Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Prospective Psychobiological Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1103-5180","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Roba","family":"Bdeir","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Basic Scientific Sciences, Al-Balqa Applied University, P.O. Box 206, Al-Salt 19117, Jordan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sarah","family":"Al-Ja\u2019freh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Midwifery, School of Nursing, Al-Balqa Applied University, P.O. Box 206, Al-Salt 19117, Jordan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,14]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"600","DOI":"10.3109\/14767058.2011.587921","article-title":"Gestational diabetes mellitus: Results from a survey of country prevalence and practices","volume":"25","author":"Jiwani","year":"2012","journal-title":"J. Matern.-Fetal Neonatal Med."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Al-Rifai, R.H., Abdo, N.M., Paulo, M.S., Saha, S., and Ahmed, L.A. (2021). 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