HSD11B2 and major depressive disorder: These findings are consistent with our hypotheses and the findings of O’Donnell et al. (2012) [32], which found a 30% reduction in placental HSD11B2 expression in anxious pregnant women and a negative (although non-significant) association between maternal depression and HSD11B2. In contrast to O’Donnell et al. (2012) [32] however, maternal anxiety did not have a greater effect on HSD11B2 than depression in our study.