title: Depression and anxiety during the perinatal period.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mood and anxiety and related disorders (AD) account for a significant proportion of mental health conditions, with close to 30 % of the population (28.8 %) suffering from an AD at some time in their life, and over fifteen percent (16.2 %) suffering from a mood disorder. The existing empirical literature leaves a number of important gaps with respect to our understanding of mood, anxiety and stress related difficulties among pregnant and postpartum women. The objective of this research is to address these.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were 660 English-speaking pregnant women. Participants for the portion of the research estimating the prevalence/incidence of perinatal mood disorders and AD (N = 347) were recruited proportionally from a geographically defined area. All participants were recruited via prenatal clinic visits at hospitals, physician offices and midwifery clinics, and via community outreach at events and through word of mouth. Recruitment took place between November 9, 2007 and November 12, 2010. Participants were administered questionnaires prenatally at two time points (approximately 24 and 33 weeks gestation) and again at 4-6 weeks' postpartum and 6-months postpartum. Prevalence/incidence study participants who screened above cut-off on one or more of the 4-6 week mood and anxiety questionnaires were also administered a diagnostic interview for mood disorders and AD at approximately 8-12 weeks postpartum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This research addresses a number of gaps in our understanding of mood, anxiety and stress among pregnant and postpartum women. Specifically, gaps in our knowledge regarding the prevalence and incidence of (a) AD and mood disorders, and (b) anxiety and stress among women experiencing a medically high-risk pregnancy, interest in stress management training in pregnancy, mental health treatment barriers and access and screening for anxiety among pregnant and postpartum women are addressed. The findings from this series of studies have the potential to improve screening, assessment and treatment of mood and anxiety problems suffered by pregnant and postpartum women.
authors: Department of Psychiatry/Island Medical Program, University of British Columbia, Room 141, Eric Martin Pavilion, Royal Jubilee Hospital, 2328 Trent Street, Victoria, BC, V8R 4Z3, Canada. nicholef@uvic.ca.
authors: Nichole
authors: N
authors: Fairbrother
authors: Centre for Affective Disorders, BRC Cluster Lead, Experimental Medicine & Clinical Trials Cluster, Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neurosciences (IoPPN), King's College London, PO72, De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London, SE5 8AF, Canada. caroline.loveland@kcl.ac.uk.
authors: Allan H
authors: AH
authors: Young
authors: Maternal Child Health, UBC School of Population and Public Health, 2206 East Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T-1Z3, Canada. patti.janssen@ubc.ca.
authors: Patricia
authors: P
authors: Janssen
authors: Department of Psychology, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON, M5B 2K3, Canada. mantony@psych.ryerson.ca.
authors: Martin M
authors: MM
authors: Antony
authors: Faculty of Medicine, Island Medical Program, University of British Columbia, PO Box 1700 STN CSC, Victoria, BC, V8W 2Y2, Canada. e.tucker@alumni.ubc.ca.|Medical Sciences Building, University of Victoria, PO Box 1700 STN CSC, Victoria, BC, V8W 2Y2, Canada. e.tucker@alumni.ubc.ca.
authors: Emma
authors: E
authors: Tucker
mesh_terms: D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001955:British Columbia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D015897:Comorbidity; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D018566:Pregnancy, High-Risk / Q000523:psychology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires