Depression in antenatal period among women attending a Rural maternity hospital in South India

Abstract

BackgroundnbspDepression is a mood disorder that affects 7-20 of the antenatal women. Without treatment depression during pregnancy can lead to postnatal and ongoing depression this can adversely affect pregnancy outcome have an impact on maternal competence in childcare and consequences upon the physical and psychological development of the child.ObjectivesnbspTo determine the prevalence of probable antenatal depression among women attending a rural maternity hospital in South India and to identify the risk factors determining antenatal depression.MethodologynbspThis was a cross sectional study at a rural maternity hospital near Bangalore between September and November 2011. Three hundred women attending the antenatal clinic were selected through consecutive sampling. The Edinburg Postnatal Depression Scale EPDS was administered to assess antenatal depression and a structured interview schedule was used to ascertain the socio-demographic variables.ResultsnbspThe mean age of the study population was 21.4plusmn 2.64 years. Majority 93.7 were housewives and belonged to joint family 71.3. The prevalence of probable depression was found to be 12 with mean score being 2.94plusmn5.32. Factors found to be significantly associated with antenatal depression were high risk pregnancy Adjusted OR 5.6 95 CI 1.49 ndash 21.62 being unhappy with in-laws Adjusted OR 3.4 95 CI 1.12 ndash 10.57 and low income of the familylt5000 per monthAdjusted OR2.7 95 CI 1.009 ndash 7.62.ConclusionnbspThe prevalence of probable depression among pregnant women in this study was 12.The factors which were significantly associated with probable antenatal depression were relationship with in-laws high risk pregnancy and low family income.