OBJECTIVES: Both restless legs syndrome ([RLS], also known as Willis-Ekbom 
Disease [WED]) and depression are common during pregnancy. However, no prior 
studies have assessed if pregnant women with RLS have an elevated risk of 
depression during and/or after pregnancy.
METHODS: 1,428 women who were pregnant in gestational week 16-17 were asked to 
participate in a longitudinal survey. They were followed by web-based 
questionnaires in gestational week 17 and 32, and 6 weeks after delivery. Data 
were also retrieved from prenatal and birth records. Two different sets of 
criteria were used to examine the prevalence of RLS in the cohort (International 
Restless Legs Syndrome Society Group standard criteria and the later developed 
CH-RLSQ11 questionnaire). The latter questionnaire attempts to exclude those 
with common "mimics" of RLS.
RESULTS: Adjusted odds ratio for depression in gestational week 17, 32, and 
postpartum week 6 in relation to pre-pregnancy RLS onset and moderate to severe 
symptom severity were 4.74 (2.30 - 9.76), 3.67 (1.85 - 7.28), and 2.58 (1.28 - 
5.21), respectively. No significant associations were seen in pregnant women 
with de novo RLS during pregnancy. When using the standard diagnostic RLS 
criteria and frequency of symptoms more than 2-3 days per week, the prevalence 
of RLS was 12.3%. With the CH-RLSQ11 questionnaire and the same threshold for 
frequency of symptoms the prevalence was 6.5%.
CONCLUSION: Women with RLS onset before pregnancy with moderate or severe 
symptoms had an increased risk of both antenatal and postnatal depression. The 
self-reported prevalence of RLS during pregnancy is lower when a questionnaire 
dealing with "mimics" is used.