Antenatal depression and adversity in urban South Africa.
In low and middle-income countries (LMIC), common mental disorders affecting pregnant women receive low priority, despite their disabling effect on maternal functioning and negative impact on child health and development. We investigated the prevalence of risk factors for antenatal depression among women living in adversity in a low-resource, urban setting in Cape Town, South Africa.



The MINI Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI Plus) was used to measure the diagnostic prevalence of depression amongst women attending their first antenatal visit at a primary-level, community-based clinic. Demographic data were collected followed by administration of questionnaires to measure psychosocial risk. Analysis examined the association between diagnosis of depression and psychosocial risk variables, and logistic regression was used to investigate predictors for major depressive episode (MDE).



Among 376 women participating, the mean age was 26 years. The MINI-defined prevalence of MDE was 22%, with 50% of depressed women also expressing suicidality. MDE diagnosis was significantly associated with multiple socioeconomic and psychosocial risk factors, including a history of depression or anxiety, food insecurity, experience of threatening life events and perceived support from family.



The use of self-report measures may have led to recall bias. Retrospective collection of clinical data limited our ability to examine some known risk factors for mental distress.



These findings confirm the high prevalence of MDE among pregnant women in LMIC settings. Rates of depression may be increased in settings where women are exposed to multiple risks. These risk factors should be considered when planning maternal mental health interventions.
Perinatal Mental Health Project, Alan J. Flisher Centre for Public Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, South Africa; Division of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, South Africa. Electronic address: thandivh@gmail.com.
Thandi van
TV
Heyningen
Division of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, South Africa.
Landon
L
Myer
Perinatal Mental Health Project, Alan J. Flisher Centre for Public Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, South Africa.
Michael
M
Onah
Alan J. Flisher Centre for Public Mental Health, Department of Psychology, Stellenbosch University, South Africa.
Mark
M
Tomlinson
Perinatal Mental Health Project, Alan J. Flisher Centre for Public Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, South Africa.
Sally
S
Field
Perinatal Mental Health Project, Alan J. Flisher Centre for Public Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, South Africa.
Simone
S
Honikman
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000523:psychology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
Antenatal depression; Food insecurity; Low-resource setting; Psychosocial risk factors