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Depression is a mental illness that can be affected by many external factors, such as stress and social support. Even though depression appears to be caused by environmental variables, more and more studies over the past few years have suggested that genetics might play a larger role than previously believed. Now, in a new study, researchers are reporting that teenagers whose mothers were depressed during their pregnancy might be at a greater risk of developing depression.

"It [depression] should be treated during pregnancy, irrespective of if it continues during birth. It's as important during pregnancy," Rebecca Pearson said according to FOX News. Pearson is from the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom.

For this study, Pearson and her colleagues examined data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (Children of the 90s) gathered between 1991 and 1992. The data were focused on over 14,000 pregnant women from the UK. The women were interviewed twice during their pregnancy and then twice again during the first year post birth. The surveys were designed to measure depressive symptoms.

The researchers found that around 12 percent of the pregnant women could be diagnosed with depression. Seven percent of the women met the criteria for depression after they gave birth. The team then monitored these families, which included 4,500 children, over time. By the time the children reached 18-years-old, eight percent of them experienced depressive symptoms. The researchers calculated that the teenagers of the mothers who were depressed during their pregnancy were 47 percent more likely to become depressed in comparison to teenagers whose parents were not depressed during their pregnancy.

The researchers stated that their study did not find a cause and effect relationship. Instead, they believe that when pregnant women are depressed, the extra stress hormones and other factors of the depression could lead to changes in the womb that affect the unborn child's brain development. The researchers stated that treating depression during pregnancy should be considered a priority.

"Women with depression would ideally be treated before getting pregnant, but if they are already pregnant when diagnosed with depression it is even more important that they are treated as it will impact on the mother and child," commented professor Celso Arango from the Gregorio Maranon General University Hospital located in Madrid according to BBC News.

The study was published in JAMA Psychiatry.