Psychosocial study of depression in early pregnancy.
BACKGROUND
The psychosocial correlates of depression during pregnancy were explored.


METHODS
Pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic of a general hospital (n = 1329) received a set of questionnaires including Zung's Self-Rating Depression Score (SDS). SDS high scores (> 49) (the cases: n = 179) were compared with low scores (< 38) (the controls; n = 343).


RESULTS
The cases were characterised by: first delivery; more nausea, vomiting, and anorexia; more menstrual pains and premenstrual irritability; early paternal loss; lower maternal care and higher paternal overprotection; higher public self-consciousness score; more smoking and use of medication in pregnancy; unwanted pregnancy; negative psychological response to the pregnancy by the woman and husband; poor intimacy by the husband; and having remarried.


CONCLUSIONS
Depression in early pregnancy is determined mainly by psychosocial factors.
Kitamura
T
T
Department of Sociocultural Environmental Research, National Institute of Mental Health, Ichikawa, Japan.
Sugawara
M
M
Sugawara
K
K
Toda
M A
MA
Shima
S
S
D000328:Adult; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology; D010298:Parity; D010553:Personality Development; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology