ArticleDepression and anxiety2017
Maternal choline status during pregnancy, but not that of betaine, is related to antenatal mental well-being: The growing up in Singapore toward healthy outcomes cohort.
Article in Depression and anxiety, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 17 citations in OpenAlex.
- A Systematic Review of the Correlation Between Micronutrient Levels and Perinatal Depression.Nutrients · 2025Pooled it
- Betaine: A Promising Natural Product for Neurological and Psychiatric Diseases.Current neuropharmacology · 2026Review
- Review
- Betaine, a Potential Therapeutic Alternative for the Treatment of Depression.Current drug targets · 2025Review
- Reported health, social support, stress and associations with choline intake in pregnant women in central South Africa: the NuEMI study 2018-2019.Archives of public health = Archives belges de sante publique · 2023Article
- Breakfast and psychosocial behavioural problems in young population: The role of status, place, and habits.Frontiers in nutrition · 2022Article
- Serum Metabolic Profiling of Late-Pregnant Women With Antenatal Depressive Symptoms.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2021Article
- Lipidome Profiles Are Related to Depressive Symptoms and Preterm Birth Among African American Women.Biological research for nursing · 2020Article
- Metabolomic markers of antepartum depression and suicidal ideation.Journal of affective disorders · 2020Article
- Higher Gestational Choline Levels in Maternal Infection Are Protective for Infant Brain Development.The Journal of pediatrics · 2019Article
- Placental Morphology Is Associated with Maternal Depressive Symptoms during Pregnancy and Toddler Psychiatric Problems.Scientific reports · 2018Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
9 authors at 4 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundCholine and betaine status have previously been associated with symptoms of depression. However, the relation of maternal plasma choline and betaine concentrations in pregnancy to peripartum maternal mood is unknown.
methodsMaternal plasma choline and betaine concentrations (μmol/L) were measured at 26-28 weeks gestation in the Growing Up in Singapore Toward healthy Outcomes (GUSTO) mother-offspring cohort. Participants completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EDPS) at 26-28 weeks gestation (n = 949) and at 3 months postnatal (n = 689): higher scores are indicative of more symptoms of anxiety and depression. Multivariate linear regression models were used to estimate the association of choline and betaine with ante- and postnatal mental well-being adjusting for covariates.
resultsMean (SD) antenatal plasma choline and betaine concentrations were 9.2 μmol/L (1.6) and 13.1 μmol/L (2.7), respectively. Plasma choline concentrations were positively associated with antenatal depressive (β = .24 EPDS score [95% CI: 0.05-0.43] per μmol/L] and anxiety symptoms (β = .46 STAI-state score [95% CI: 0.03-0.88] per μmol/L) adjusting for covariates. Plasma betaine concentrations were not associated with antenatal depression or anxiety symptoms. No associations were observed between pregnancy choline or betaine and postnatal mental well-being.
conclusionThis study suggests that higher maternal plasma choline status during pregnancy is associated with more symptoms of antenatal depression and anxiety, whereas plasma betaine concentrations showed no associations. No associations were observed for postnatal mental well-being. Prospective studies are required to replicate these findings and further examine the direction of causality and possible biological mechanisms.
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