Biological Triggers of Depression in Pregnancy

Inclusion Criteria Pre-partum cohort: * All races and national origins of pregnant females. * Age 18 and older. * English speaking. * Able to give informed consent. * Able to comply with study procedures. Exclusion Criteria Pre-partum cohort: * Non-pregnant females * Patients with psychotic symptoms and/or severe cognitive impairment that interfere with their ability to give informed consent or to complete study assessments. * Patients that cannot read and write in English as research measures used have only been validated in English speaking populations. * Patients that have blood-borne chronic infections including hepatitis B, C, or HIV as established at routine pregnancy blood screens; they will be excluded as the laboratory facilities do not approve processing of their tissue for safety reasons. * Patients who have any schizophrenia spectrum disorder or bipolar disorder type 1 (based on self report and SCID interview); these patients will be excluded as the neurobiology of these disorders are different from peripartum depression. * Patients who report ongoing substance abuse or dependence (in the past 3 months). Inclusion criteria Post-partum cohort: * All races and national origins of females who delivered a child vaginally or by caesarian section up to 6 months prior to enrollment. * Age 18 and older. * Edinburgh Perinatal Depression Rating Scale score of 10 and above and/or endorsed suicide ideation on the CSSRS. * Depressive symptoms which began or worsened (if already present) during pregnancy or up to 4 weeks post-partum. * Able to give informed consent. * Able to comply with and complete study procedures. * English speaking. Exclusion criteria Post-partum cohort: * Patients with psychotic symptoms and/or severe cognitive impairment that interfere with their ability to give informed consent or to complete study assessments. * Patients who cannot read and write in English as research measures used have only been validated in English speaking populations. * Patients that have blood-borne chronic infections including hepatitis B, C, or HIV; as established at their routine pregnancy blood screens. * Patients who have any schizophrenia spectrum disorder or bipolar type 1 (based on the self report and SCID interview). * Patients who report ongoing substance abuse or dependence (past 3 months).