title: Anxiety and depression in mothers related to severe malformation of the heart of the child and foetus.
abstract: The aim of the study was to assess levels of anxiety and depression in three groups: pregnant mothers referred to foetal cardiology, subdivided into those with a confirmed diagnosis and those for which no abnormality was detected, and mothers who had a child with a heart malformation. Psychological status was measured between 6 and 10 months after diagnosis using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale in 108 females. Levels of anxiety were higher in the two groups with a confirmed diagnosis in the antenatal period or after birth (62%) than in those who were screened positively but in whom no abnormality was found (30%) (p = 0.0055). Anxiety was the highest in young females who had a foetus with a heart malformation. Depression scores were higher in those who had a child with heart malformation (18%) than in the other two groups (5%). Mothers who terminated a pregnancy after diagnosis remained depressed long after the event. Younger mothers may be especially vulnerable to mood problems associated with a traumatic obstetric experience.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Medicine, UMDS of Guy's and St Thomas' Hospitals, London, UK.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Rona
authors.forename: N C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Smeeton
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Beech
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barnett
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sharland
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016015:Logistic Models; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011594:Psychometrics; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires