title: Are pregnancy planning and pregnancy timing associated with maternal psychiatric illness, psychological distress and support during pregnancy?
abstract: Pregnancy planning and timing may be associated with psychiatric illness, psychological distress and support during pregnancy.
  
  
  
  We performed secondary analyses of a prospective cohort of 2654 pregnant women evaluating the impact of depression on preterm birth. We used multivariable logistic regression to test associations between pregnancy planning ("Was this pregnancy planned? Yes/No") and/or timing ("Do you think this is a good time for you to be pregnant?") with Composite International Diagnostic Interview generated psychiatric diagnoses and measures of psychological distress and support.
  
  
  
  37% and 13% of participants reported an unplanned or poorly timed pregnancy, respectively. Unplanned pregnancies were associated with a Major Depressive Episode (MDE) (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.69, 95%CI 1.23-2.32) and the Cohen Perceived Stress Scale's (CPSS) highest quartile (aOR 1.74, 95%CI 1.40-2.16). Poorly timed pregnancies were associated with a MDE (aOR 3.47, 95%CI 2.46-4.91) and the CPSS's highest quartile (aOR 5.20, 95%CI 3.93-6.87). Poorly timed pregnancies were also associated with General Anxiety Disorder (GAD; aOR 1.60, 95%CI 1.07-2.40), and the modified Kendler Social Support Inventory's (MKSSI) lowest quartile (aOR 1.64, 95%CI 1.25-2.16). Psychiatric conditions were strongly associated with planned pregnancies that were subsequently deemed poorly timed (MDE=aOR 5.08, 95%CI 2.52-10.25; GAD=aOR 2.28, 95%CI 1.04-5.03); high CPSS=aOR 6.48, 95%CI 3.59-11.69; and low MKSSI=aOR 3.19, 95%CI 1.81-5.62.
  
  
  
  Participant characteristics may limit generalizability of findings.
  
  
  
  Pregnancy timing was a stronger predictor of maternal psychiatric illness, psychological distress and low social support than pregnancy planning in our cohort.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States. Electronic address: aileen.gariepy@yale.edu.
authors.forename: Aileen M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Gariepy
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States.
authors.forename: Lisbet S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Lundsberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States.
authors.forename: Devin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States.
authors.forename: Nancy L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Stanwood
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States.
authors.forename: Kimberly A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Yonkers
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000209:etiology*; D005193:Family Planning Services; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011247:Pregnancy; D049168:Pregnancy, Unplanned / Q000523:psychology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Anxiety; Depression; Psychological distress; Social support; Unplanned pregnancy