Frequency and associated factors for anxiety and depression in pregnant women: a hospital-based cross-sectional study.
Antepartum anxiety and/or depression is a major public health problem globally. The aim of this study was to estimate the frequency of antepartum anxiety and/or depression among pregnant women. This was a cross-sectional study conducted in a tertiary care hospital among pregnant women. A total of 165 pregnant women were interviewed by a clinical psychologist using HADS for assessing anxiety and/or depression and also collected information regarding sociodemographic, obstetric, family relationships, and home environment. Out of the total of 165 pregnant women about 70 percent of them were either anxious and/or depressed. The increasing age of women (P-value = 0.073), not having any live birth (P-value = 0.036), adverse pregnancy outcome in past including death of a child, stillbirth or abortion (P-value = 0.013), participant's role in household decision making (P-value = 0.013), and domestic violence (verbal or physical abuse towards mother or children by any family member) (P-value = 0.123). Our study highlights that anxiety and/or depression is quite common among pregnant women. Therefore, there is a need to incorporate screening for anxiety and depression in the existing antenatal programs and development of strategies to provide practical support to those identified.
Department of Family Medicine, The Aga Khan University, Stadium Road, PO Box 3500, Karachi 74800, Pakistan.
Niloufer S
NS
Ali
Iqbal S
IS
Azam
Badar S
BS
Ali
Ghurnata
G
Tabbusum
Sana S
SS
Moin
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult