A Blood Test Could Predict Postpartum Depression Before It Strikes

A groundbreaking blood test can now predict which pregnant women will develop postpartum depression with more than 80% accuracy, offering hope for the one in eight US women who experience this common childbirth complication. The test, called myLuma, represents the first commercially available biomarker test to predict onset of a psychiatric disorder, much like blood tests detect early signs of cancer or diabetes.

How Does the Blood Test Work?

The test identifies specific changes in two genes—HP1BP3 and TTC9B—that respond to estrogen fluctuations during pregnancy. Researchers discovered that women who develop postpartum depression show a distinctive pattern: greater methylation on one gene and less methylation on the other. These methylation changes, where small chemical groups attach to genes and affect their activity, can be detected throughout all three trimesters of pregnancy.

"If we have a blood test, it brings psychiatry down to the level of biology, which I think your average person can understand as something that needs treatment and that isn't just in somebody's head," said Jennifer Payne, a reproductive psychiatrist at the University of Virginia and lead investigator on the studies.

What Makes Some Women More Vulnerable?

The research began with a fundamental question: why does the sudden drop in reproductive hormones estrogen and progesterone after childbirth severely affect some women but not others? Scientists found the answer lies in how individual women's genes respond to these hormonal changes. By studying female mice given high levels of estrogen compared to those without it, researchers identified specific gene methylation patterns in the hippocampus, the brain region that helps control mood.

The breakthrough came when scientists tested this theory on blood samples from 51 women with a history of mood disorders who were tracked throughout pregnancy and afterward. The research team repeatedly confirmed their findings across multiple studies, including:

• Initial Study: 240 pregnant women with no psychiatric history showed the same 80% prediction accuracy
• Validation Study: 285 pregnant women tested at Johns Hopkins, Emory University, and University of California, Irvine confirmed the results
• Timing Discovery: The gene changes could be detected throughout each trimester, allowing for early prediction

When Will This Test Be Available?

Beginning in January 2026, myLuma became available at some doctors' offices in Florida, Texas, and California. While not yet Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved, doctors can offer the test as a laboratory-developed test. The company behind myLuma, Dionysus Health, incorporated additional biomarkers beyond the original two genes to improve the test's accuracy.

For women like Lisette Lopez-Rose, who experienced panic attacks and persistent sadness after childbirth but was afraid to tell her doctor, this test could be life-changing. Lopez-Rose, who now works at Postpartum Support International helping other new mothers, didn't get help until six months postpartum. "About two months after I started medication, I started to feel like I was coming out of a deep hole and seeing light again," she said.

Pregnant women who test positive for postpartum depression risk could take preventive steps such as starting antidepressants after childbirth or arranging for extra family and professional support. This proactive approach could help reduce the stigma that prevents many women from seeking help and ensure earlier intervention for this treatable condition.