Prevalence and risk factors of depressive symptoms in low-risk pregnancy

Abstract

Objective To demonstrate the prevalence and risk factors of antenatal depression among low-risk pregnant women residing in Assiut, Egypt. Patients and methods A total of 100 pregnant women were recruited from primary health centers who met the inclusion criteria, and they were evaluated using the Arabic version of the validated Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Symptoms (EPDS) questionnaire before and after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Women who scored EPDS more than or equal to 13 were subjected to the Arabic version of Beck Depression Inventory to evaluate the severity of depressive symptoms. Correlations were made with demographic and obstetric risk factors. Results Overall, 18% scored EDPS more than or equal to 13 at the firstt visit compared with 32% at the second visit. In the firstt visit, two women were classified by Beck Depression Inventory as severe (11%), nine women as moderate (50%), and seven as mild (38.9%). At the second visit, six women were classified as severe (18%), 20 as moderate (62%), and six as mild (18%). Age, presence of husband, socioeconomic state, living at family home proved statistically significantly associated with depressive symptoms. Moreover, parity, unwanted pregnancy, known female fetus, and number of living female offsprings proved statistically significantly associated with depressive symptoms. There was a significant relationship between EPDS in firstt visit and EPDS in second visit. Logistic regression analysis showed that age, low socioeconomic level, unwanted pregnancy, and number of living female offsprings were positive predictors of antenatal depression, but the association lacked statistical significance. Conclusion Depressive symptoms are common in second half of the pregnancy. Age, socioeconomic level, absence of husband, parity, unwanted pregnancy, and number of living female offsprings are risk factors for depressive symptoms during pregnancy.