Mothers with an infant in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) are at risk for depression, anxiety, and trauma symptoms, with negative implications for maternal-infant bonding, maternal well-being, and infant development. Few interventions to promote NICU mothers' mental health, however, have been developed or tested. This pre-post pilot study assessed feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary outcomes of a mindfulness intervention for NICU mothers. Twenty-seven mothers were recruited from a university NICU and offered a mindfulness intervention via introductory video and audio-recorded practices. Participants completed a baseline self-report survey. After 2 weeks of engaging with intervention materials, participants completed a second survey and in-depth interview. Quantitative data were analyzed using paired t tests; qualitative data were analyzed using thematic coding. Twenty-four women (89%) completed the study. Quantitative data indicated significant improvements in depressive, anxiety, and trauma symptoms, negative coping, NICU-related stress, and sleep (p < 0.05). Qualitative data identified themes of perceived improvements in psychological distress and stress symptoms, self-care, and relationships. Findings support the mindfulness intervention's feasibility, acceptability, and potential promise for reducing maternal distress and promoting well-being. Use of video and audio modalities may facilitate program sustainability and scale up. Further research on the program is merited.

T cells play a key role in adaptive immune responses, and shifts among T cell classes occur in normal pregnancy. There is evidence for the role of T H 17 cells and dysregulation of the T H 17:T reg cell balance in morbidities and autoimmune diseases during pregnancy. Because T H 17 responses may play a role in depression and anxiety outside of pregnancy, we hypothesize that T H 17 responses and the balance of T H 17:T reg activity may also contribute to the development of depression and anxiety during pregnancy. To explore this hypothesis, this review has three main aims: 1) to evaluate systematically the role of T H 17 cells and cytokines during pregnancy; 2) to compare changes in the ratio of T H 17:T reg cells during pregnancy morbidities with the changes that occur in depression and anxiety outside of pregnancy; and 3) to provide a basis for further research on T H 17 cells in perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, with an eye toward the development of novel therapeutics. We also review the limited literature concerning perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, and hypothesize about the potential role of T H 17 cells in these illnesses. Understanding the pathophysiology of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders will aid development of novel therapeutics that address immunological mechanisms, in addition to the serotonin system, which are targetable molecules in treating depression and anxiety during pregnancy.