title: Pregnancy, somatic complaints and depression: a French population-based study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Depression during pregnancy is today one of the greatest medical risks for expectant mothers and newborns. It is associated with numerous morbid conditions and with postnatal depression. Identifying depression during pregnancy is therefore a major public health concern, but screening for depression is not routinely carried out in somatic settings. We hypothesized that the presence of numerous somatic complaints contributes to the detection of an increased risk of depression during pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted on 1000 consecutive pregnant women approached during OB/GYN visits at a general maternity hospital. They were asked to fill out a questionnaire, which contained the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and a checklist of 18 somatic complaints.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median number of somatic complaints was 5 (interquartile range 3-7). The risk of depression during the 2nd and 3rd trimesters was 18.3% (EPDS score > 10.5). Logistic regression revealed that when the somatic complaints total score moved from 3 to 7, the odds of moving from not-at-risk to at-risk for antenatal depression were multiplied by 2.91.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results call for further research exploring somatic complaints and their link to depression during pregnancy. Until more knowledge is available, we suggest considering that women with a high number of somatic complaints during pregnancy are at high risk for depression and should be referred for further diagnostic clinical assessment and care.
authors.affiliation: Erasme Hospital, Psychiatry and Psychopathology Research Institute, France.
authors.forename: Gisèle
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Apter
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Devouche
authors.forename: Valérie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Garez
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Valente
authors.forename: Marie-Camille
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Genet
authors.forename: Maya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gratier
authors.forename: Joëlle
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Belaisch-Allart
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis*; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000209:etiology; D004066:Digestive System Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D061345:Early Medical Intervention; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000523:psychology*; D011295:Prenatal Care; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Antenatal OB/GYN screening; CI; Depression during pregnancy; EPDS; Early intervention; Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale; OB/GYN; OR; Public Mental Health; Somatic complaints; confidence interval; obstetrics and gynecology; odds ratio