Abstract
Background: This study examined the prevalence of depressive symptoms (depression hereafter) and its association with quality of life (QOL) among pregnant and postnatal women in China.Methods: In this multi-center, cross-sectional study, 1,060 pregnant and postnatal women from eight hospitals were assessed. Depression and QOL were measured using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire - brief version, respectively.Results: The prevalence of depression was 7.45% (95% CI: 5.87–9.04%) in the sample. Women with depression had lower QOL in physical, psychological, social and environmental domains compared to those without. Women with physical comorbidities were more likely to suffer from depression (OR = 2.391, 95% CI = 1.384–4.130, P = 0.002).Conclusion: Due to its negative association with QOL, increased attention should be paid to depression in pregnant and postnatal women. Regular screening assessment and preventive measures should be adopted to reduce risk of depression in this population.
Highlights
Pregnancy is characterized by multiple hormonal and anatomical changes that are associated with high risk of mental health problems such as irritability, sleep disturbances, depression and even suicidality [1, 2]
The overall prevalence of depression was 7.45%; within the depressed subgroup (N = 79), the highest rate was found in the third trimester (45.6%), followed by the first trimester (25.3%) and second trimester (19.0%)
There were 14 women (17.7%) with suicidality in the depression group compared to 13 women (1.3%) in the no depression group (P < 0.001)
Summary
Pregnancy is characterized by multiple hormonal and anatomical changes that are associated with high risk of mental health problems such as irritability, sleep disturbances, depression and even suicidality [1, 2]. Depressive symptoms (depression hereafter) during pregnancy and the postnatal period are common [3]. In order to reduce the risk of depression during pregnancy and the postnatal period and its negative impact on health outcomes, researchers should examine its epidemiology and correlates. Researchers have found that older age, lower socioeconomic status, poorer relationships with family, intimate partner violence and unplanned pregnancy are risk factors for depression among pregnant and postnatal women [4, 10,11,12], while comfortable living conditions, psychological resilience, and better social support perceived by women predict reduced risk for depression [13]. This study examined the prevalence of depressive symptoms (depression hereafter) and its association with quality of life (QOL) among pregnant and postnatal women in China
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