Women with low baseline estradiol and progesterone levels have a higher risk of developing postpartum depression.
"if you are a low-hormone early and you walk in with low estradiol levels, your rate of... And progesterone, your rate of postpartum is also high." (said at 0:18:38)
The speaker claims that women with low baseline estradiol and progesterone levels have higher rates of postpartum depression (PPD). However, published literature—including systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and large case-control studies—shows no consistent or significant difference in baseline circulating levels of estradiol or progesterone between women who develop postpartum depression and healthy controls. Current evidence indicates that PPD risk is driven by differential central sensitivity to normal peripartum hormonal fluctuations and withdrawal, as well as psychosocial and psychiatric risk factors, rather than lower baseline hormone levels.
- contradicts: Adverse life events, psychiatric history, and biological predictors of postpartum depressi… (Psychological medicine 2018)
"Levels of estradiol, progesterone, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, oxytocin, and allopregnanalone were assayed... There were no significant differences between groups in any hormones or neurosteroids." (abstract, results)
pubmedfull study (doi) - contradicts: Variation in genes and hormones of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis in female mood … (Frontiers in neuroendocrinology 2021)
"There were no differences in HPO-related parameters between women with pregnancy, postpartum, and perimenopausal depression and controls." (abstract, results, passage verified)
pubmedfull study (doi)