title: Prevalence and Risk Factors of Antenatal Depression among Omani Women in a Primary Care Setting: Cross-sectional study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to identify the prevalence of antenatal depression and the risk factors associated with its development among Omani women. No previous studies on antenatal depression have been conducted in Oman.
  
  
  METHODS
  This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out between January and November 2014 in Muscat, Oman. Pregnant Omani women ≥32 gestational weeks who were attending one of 12 local primary care health centres in Muscat for routine antenatal care were invited to participate in the study (n = 986). An Arabic version of the validated self-administered Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale questionnaire was used to measure antenatal depression. A cut-off score of ≥13 was considered to indicate probable depression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 959 women participated in the study (response rate: 97.3%). Of these, 233 were found to have antenatal depression (24.3%). A bivariate analysis showed that antenatal depression was associated with unplanned pregnancies (P = 0.010), marital conflict (P = 0.001) and a family history of depression (P = 0.019). The adjusted odds ratio (OR) after logistic multivariate regression analysis showed that antenatal depression was significantly associated with unplanned pregnancies (OR: 1.37; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02-1.86) and marital conflict (OR: 13.83; 95% CI: 2.99-63.93).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of antenatal depression among the studied Omani women was high, particularly in comparison to findings from other Arab countries. Thus, antenatal screening for depression should be considered in routine primary antenatal care. Couples should also be encouraged to seek psychological support should marital conflicts develop during pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine & Public Health, College of Medicine & Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman;
authors.forename: Mohammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al-Azri
authors.affiliation: Directorate General of Primary Health Care, Ministry of Health, Muscat, Oman;
authors.forename: Iman
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Al-Lawati
authors.affiliation: Directorate General of Primary Health Care, Ministry of Health, Muscat, Oman;
authors.forename: Raya
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Al-Kamyani
authors.affiliation: Directorate General of Primary Health Care, Ministry of Health, Muscat, Oman;
authors.forename: Maisa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al-Kiyumi
authors.affiliation: Directorate General of Primary Health Care, Ministry of Health, Muscat, Oman;
authors.forename: Aisha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Rawahi
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine & Public Health, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman;
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Davidson
authors.affiliation: The Research Council, Muscat, Oman.
authors.forename: Abdullah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Maniri
keywords: Depression; Oman; Pregnancy; Prevalence; Primary Health Care; Risk Factors; Women