Trajectories of depressive symptoms in a population-based cohort of Black and White women from late reproductive age through the menopause transition: a 30-year analysis.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine how depressive symptoms change in midlife and across the menopause transition.

Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of data from a prospective population-based cohort, the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study. We included women (n = 2,160) with ≥3 responses to the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) beginning at examination year 5, at approximately 30 years of age, and again at years 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 (ages 35 through 60 years). We modeled trajectories of CES-D by chronologic age and compared these to trajectories of depressive symptoms by relation to age at menopause.

Results: We identified three trajectories of depressive symptoms: women with minimal (n = 1,328, 61%, mean CES-D 8.1); intermediate (n = 675, 31%, mean CES-D 15.6); or persistent depressive symptoms (n = 157, 7%, mean CES-D 26.1). Trajectories were stable over time, among women who had undergone natural menopause (n = 1,153), Black race (odds ratio [OR], 1.85; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.43 to 2.40), less than a high school education (OR, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.38 to 2.41), and low income (OR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.18 to 2.18), along with tobacco use (OR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.04 to 1.77), alcohol consumption (OR, 1.01; 95% CI, 1.004 to 1.02), estrogen use for vasomotor symptoms (OR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.06 to 2.77), and higher body mass index (OR, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.05) that were also associated with persistent depressive symptoms. Hormonal contraceptive use at year 2 was associated with lower odds of persistent depressive symptoms (OR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.51 to 0.93). Similar patterns were observed among women who underwent surgical menopause.

Conclusions: Depressive symptoms in the premenopause were similar to those in postmenopause, and risk factors could be identified early in reproductive life. Studies with more frequent assessments of depressive symptoms during the menopause transition are needed.