The prevalence of depression and generalized anxiety disorder among pregnant women in primary healthcare centers of Al Madinah Al Munawara City 2020-2021

Abstract

Pregnancy and physiological and psychological variations can impact mental and emotional changes and thereby trigger depression and anxiety in expectant mothers. Being overly concerned about an individual’s financial, social, and health issues can promote depression and anxiety among pregnant women. Managing those associated factors during and after pregnancy is crucial. Although several studies reported depression and anxiety disorder in pregnant women, there are limited studies available in Saudi Arabia. Thus, this study measured the prevalence of both depression and anxiety among pregnant women in Al-Madinah Al-Muawarah, Saudi Arabia. A total of 250 surveys were conducted from five primary care centers randomly. A simple stratified sampling technique was used. General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) were used as research instruments for data collection. Of the seven items from GAD-7, the higher rate related to the response “not at all” for the following items; “Being so restless that it is hard to sit still” by 165 (66.5%) was obtained followed by “Becoming easily annoyed or irritated” 118 (47.2%). Similarly, from the nine items from the PHQ-9, the higher rate response was obtained with “not at all” for the following items; “Thoughts that you would be better off dead, or hurting yourself” by 243 (98.0%), followed the second-highest rate was obtained regarding “Several Days” for the following items; “Trouble falling or staying asleep, or sleeping too much” by 116 (46.8%). The current study is consistent with previous studies.