A GROUND-BREAKING new study by the Born in Bradford (BiB) team has unearthed a link between a healthy dose of nature and the positive wellbeing of mums-to-be.

The research is the first of its kind to show a beneficial relationship between green space and depressive symptoms in pregnant women, and has now been published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

A total of 7,547 mums from the BiB cohort were questioned about how they felt when they were pregnant, and the team collected detailed lifestyle information such as demographics and socio-economic status.

The key finding revealed that while 33.5 per cent of women reported at least one severe depressive symptom during pregnancy, those living in the greenest areas of Bradford were around 20 per cent less likely to report feeling depressed.

Programme manager, Rosie McEachan, said: "This is a really important finding, as it means we can make changes at an environment level which will have a larger benefit for our communities in most need.

"Efforts should be made to increase the availability of green space at a policy level and utilisation of green space at an individual level."

Mum-of-two Cathy Knamiller, 43, who lives in Frizinghall and has a four-year-old daughter Holly, had another daughter, Isobel, in August.

She said she experienced back trouble during her second pregnancy which impacted on her ability to get out and about and be as active as she normally is.

"I’m lucky in that I live near to Northcliffe Park, and when I’m there, that definitely makes a difference to my wellbeing and how I feel," she said.

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"There’s a variety of landscape there, including woodland, meadow, and the play area, and each of them has a different natural impact.

"I have to say I do feel relaxed and alive when I’m out in green spaces, and that positive feeling has an impact on the rest of the day."

Karen Stanley, 34, lives in Guiseley, and her third son, Joel, was born five weeks ago.

She said she had enjoyed the pregnancy more than her previous two, partly due to her location.

"We are really lucky where we live because at either end of the street we have green space, a park and playing fields, whereas when I had my first two boys, we lived in a more built-up area," she said.

"Over the years I have suffered from depression, but when I became pregnant this time I stopped taking my medication and I never found that I needed it during that time or after Joel was born, and I’m sure that’s because I have all these lovely green areas on my doorstep and can get out and enjoy them."

The BiB study was funded by PHENOTYPE, a collaborative project financed through the European Commission which looks into the positive health effects of the natural outdoor environment.

BiB started in 2007, and is looking to answer questions about the city’s health by tracking the lives of nearly 14,000 babies and their families from across the Bradford district.