Prevalence of Depression among Saudi Pregnant Women

Abstract

Depression affects about 20% of women during their lifetime, with pregnancy being a period of high susceptibility. Prevalence of depression during pregnancy ranges from 4% to 20%. Depression during pregnancy is not only the sturdiest risk factor for post-natal depression but also precursor toadverse obstetric outcomes. Aim: to identify the prevalence of depression among Saudi pregnant women &correlate between sociodemographic, medical and psychological history and depression. Methods: the study was conducted at two primary health care units at two hospitals (Al-Yammama& King Saud Medical Complex) at Riyadh city. A convenient subjectsof 316 pregnant women from the 2 nd month of pregnancy till 9 th . A structured interview questionnaire was developed. It consisted of questions related to socio-demographic aspects&A validated Beck's Depression inventory was used to screen for antenatal depressive symptoms. (December 2013 - March 2014) were screened and approached individually by the researcher. Result: The current study reveal that the prevalence rates of antenatal depression were mild to severe and extreme depression were 18.6%, 11.7% and 6.6% respectively. Spearman's rho test showed a significant correlation between depression and marital status of mother, status of the pregnancy, health complications of previous pregnancies, number of previous abortions, number of dead newborn, and number of children with low birth weight (less than 2.5 kg) Recommendation: Early detection of depression during pregnancy is awful because depression can unfavorably affect birth outcomes and neonatal health and, if left untreated, can persist after the birth can impair mother-infant attachments and have cognitive, emotional, and behavioral impact for children.