Epidemiology of Antenatal Depression in Africa

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Epidemiology of Antenatal Depression in Africa Dadi et al. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth (2020) 20:251 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-020-02929-5 RESEARCH ARTICLE Open Access Epidemiology of antenatal depression in Africa: a systematic review and meta- analysis Abel Fekadu Dadi1,2, Haileab Fekadu Wolde1*, Adhanom Gebreegziabher Baraki1 and Temesgen Yihunie Akalu1 Abstract Background: Antenatal depression is a serious problem worldwide that has devastating consequences not only for the mother but also for the child and family. The pooled evidence regarding the prevalence and associated factors of antenatal depression is rare in Africa. Hence this review aimed to investigate the prevalence and associated factors of antenatal depression in Africa. Methods: We searched CINHAL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Psychiatry online, PubMed, SCOPES, and Emcare databases for English written observational studies conducted in Africa from 2007 to 2018.Quality of studies was assessed using the Newcastle Ottawa Scale (NOS), and studies with good quality were included in the final review. Heterogeneity across studies was assessed using the I2 and Higgins test. Publication bias was checked using Funnel plot symmetry, and Egger’s regression test and adjustment was made by using Duval and Tweedie’s Trim and Fill analysis. A random effect Meta-analysis was employed to determine the pooled estimates with 95% confidence interval (CI). Stata 14 was used for analysis. The review protocol has been registered in PROSPERO number CRD42018106717. Result: Of the 175 studies identified, 28 studies with an overall sample size of 17,938 were included. According to the random effect model following trim and fill analysis, the pooled prevalence of antenatal depression in Africa was 26.3% (95%CI: 22.2, 30.4%). Economic difficulties [POR = 1.87;95%CI:1.25,2.78,I2 = 88.1%], unfavorable marital condition [POR = 4.17;95% CI:1.75, 9.94, I2 = 81.2%], poor support from relatives [POR = 1.36;95% CI:1.18, 1.56, I2 = 78.0%], bad obstetric history [POR = 2.30;95% CI:1.81, 2.92), I2 = 81.7%], and history of mental health problem [POR = 2.97; 95% CI:1.74, 5.06, I2 = 92.0%]were the factors associated with antenatal depression. Conclusion: The prevalence of antenatal depression is high in Africa, which showed that one in four pregnant women had depression. Pregnant mothers who had economic difficulties, bad obstetric history, poor support from relatives, previous mental health problems, and unfavorable marital conditions were at higher risk of antenatal depression. Therefore these factors should be considered while designing mental health care services for pregnant mothers. Keywords: Antenatal depression, Associated factors, Systematic review, Meta-analysis, Africa * Correspondence: [email protected] 1University of Gondar, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Institute of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Gondar, Ethiopia Full list of author information is available at the end of the article © The Author(s). 2020 Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated in a credit line to the data. Dadi et al. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth (2020) 20:251 Page 2 of 13 Background conflicts [18], history of obstetric complications, history Depression is one of the types of mood disorders charac- of depression [15, 29, 30], unplanned pregnancy, lack of terized by markedly decreased interest or pleasure in al- social support [27, 31], and low economic status [30]. most all activities, significant weight loss or gain, Despite variations in the magnitude and associated fac- disturbed sleep, feeling of fatigue, loss of appetite, feeling tors of antenatal depression across different countries of of hopelessness, reduced self-esteem and confidence, di- Africa, pooling the available evidence and reporting the minished ability to think or concentrate, and recurrent extent of the problem in a more precise way might help thoughts of death [1, 2]. According to the World Health policymakers to prioritize the problem more than ever. Organization (WHO) 2017 estimate, 322 million people Therefore, the objective of the current review is to assess are living with depression, and29.9 million (9%) of these the epidemiology of antenatal depression in Africa. are living in Africa. Depressive disorders are ranked among the top five contributors to the global disease Method burden [3]. The prevalence of depression increased by Search strategy and selection criteria 18.4% between 2005 and 2015 worldwide [4]. The study conforms to the Preferred Reporting Items Antenatal depression is a non-psychotic depressive epi- for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) sode ranging from mild to severe symptoms that occur guidelines [32]. The reviewed articles were sourced from while the woman is pregnant [5, 6]. Women are known to the following databases: MEDLINE (via Ovid), Psy- be at higher risk of mental disorders like depression than cINFO, CINAHL (EBSCO), Psychiatry Online, Emcare, males [7]. The mental health of women of reproductive PubMed, Scopus. Besides, google scholar, snowballing, age is becoming a significant public health problem both and retrieving references from a list of eligible studies in developing and developed countries, and depression is were employed. A search strategy was developed for the most prevalent mental disorder during pregnancy [8, each database by using a combination of free texts and 9]. A systematic review and meta-analysis conducted in controlled vocabularies (i.e., Mesh terms). developed countries showed the prevalence of depression Example of the search strategy for PubMed: to be 7.4, 12.8, and 12% at the first, second, and third tri- mesters of pregnancy, respectively [10]. Another meta- ((Prenatal depression) OR antenatal depression) OR analysis conducted worldwide also reported the preva- "depression during pregnancy" Filters: Observational lence of antenatal depression that ranges from 0.5 to 51% Study; Publication date from 2007/01/01 to 2018/ [11]. Moreover, a similar study from low-and middle- 08/02; Humans; English; Africa income countries also showed a mean weighted preva- lence of common mental disorders during pregnancy to We included all observational (cross-sectional, case- be 15.6% [12]. The magnitude of antenatal depression var- control, prospective, and retrospective cohort) studies ies across different countries in Africa, and studies showed conducted in Africa, which conducted from 2007 up to the prevalence to be between 8.3 and 78.2% [8, 13–18]. 2018 and included antenatal depression and associated Depressive disorders during pregnancy may have dev- factors as a primary outcome. Additionally, studies in- astating consequences not only for the mother but also cluded must have used a validated tool to screen depres- for the child and family [19]. Antenatal depression is sion, and they must be available in the English language. identified to be a risk factor for adverse obstetric and Studies that were reviewed, studies with a poor quality birth outcomes like fetal growth retardation, low Apgar based on NOS [33],and studies that were conducted on score, preterm birth, low birth weight, and stillbirth [13, high-risk population groups were excluded from the 20–23]. Antenatal depression is also associated with in- review. creased smoking, alcohol consumption, and unhealthy Articles were independently screened in two stages: behaviors [24]. These factors, together with depression, firstly, the titles and abstracts were screened, and sec- may predispose the mothers to obstetric complications ondly, the full-text articles that met the eligibility criteria [19] such as preterm labor [25], preeclampsia, abruption mentioned above were retrieved and screened further placenta [26, 27]. Furthermore, depression during preg- for possible inclusion by two reviewers (AFD and HFW). nancy is also associated with postnatal depression [28], Where there was disagreement between the two re- which negatively affects child development, mother- viewers, further discussion was made until a consensus infant interaction, and the family at large [9]. reached. Compared with women in developed countries, women in developing countries are more exposed to the Data extraction risk factors for the development of antenatal depression, The data extraction sheet was prepared to collect infor- such as; younger age of mothers [18], low level of educa- mation on the name of the author, year of publication, tion, exposure to domestic violence [8] or relationship country, study setting(i.e., population-based versus Dadi et al. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth (2020)
Recommended publications
  • The Impact of Maternal Depression in Pregnancy on Early Child Development
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2008.01752.x General obstetrics www.blackwellpublishing.com/bjog The impact of maternal depression in pregnancy on early child development T Deave,a J Heron,b J Evans,c A Emondd a Centre for Child and Adolescent Health, University of the West of England, Bristol, UK b Department of Social Medicine, ALSPAC, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK c Academic Unit of Psychiatry and d Centre for Child and Adolescent Health, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK Correspondence: Dr T Deave, Centre for Child and Adolescent Health, University of the West of England, Bristol, Hampton House, Cotham Hill, Bristol BS6 6JS, UK. Email [email protected] Accepted 20 March 2008. Objective Postpartum depression in mothers is associated with Main outcome measure Child development at 18 months using developmental problems in their children. Many women who are a modified Denver Developmental Screening Test (modified depressed following childbirth are also depressed during DDST). pregnancy. The aim of this study was to examine the associations Results Applying the standard 12/13 cutoff, 1565 (14%) women between maternal depressive symptoms during pregnancy and were depressed antenatally but not at either time-points child development at 18 months of age. postnatally. Employing the modified DDST, 893 (9%) children Design A prospective cohort study, Avon Longitudinal Study of were developmentally delayed at 18 months of age. Persistent Parents and Children. depression (EPDS ‡ 10 at both time-points) is associated with developmental delay (adjusted OR 1.34, 95% CI 1.11–1.62). Setting The former county of Avon, southwest England.
    [Show full text]
  • Prevalence of Antenatal Depression in South Asia: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by University of Bedfordshire Repository Prevalence of antenatal depression in South Asia: a systematic review and meta-analysis Rahini Mahendran+, Shuby Puthussery+, Mahendran Amalan Faculty of Dental Sciences, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka Rahini Mahendran project coordinator Maternal and Child Health Research Centre, Institute for Health Research, University of Bedfordshire, Putteridge Bury, Hitchin Road, Luton LU2 8LE, UK Shuby Puthussery director Department of Statistics & Computer Science, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka Mahendran Amalan lecturer + Joint first authorship Correspondence to: Dr ShubyPuthussery [email protected] 1 ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To estimate the prevalence of antenatal depression in South Asia and to examine variations by country and study characteristics to inform policy, practice and future research. METHODS We conducted a comprehensive search of 13 data bases including international data bases and databases covering scientific literature from South Asian countries in addition to Google Scholar and grey sources from 1·1·2007 to 31·5·2018. Studies reporting prevalence estimates of antenatal depression using a validated diagnostic/ screening tool were identified, screened, selected, and appraised. Primary outcome was proportion (%) of pregnant women identified as having antenatal depression. RESULTS Thirty-three studies involving 13,087 pregnant women were included in the meta-analysis. Twelve studies were rated as of high quality and 21 studies were of moderate quality. Overall pooled prevalence of antenatal depression was 24·57% (95% CI: 19·34, 30·69). Studies showed a high degree of heterogeneity (I2=97·55%) and evidence of publication bias (p=0·722).
    [Show full text]
  • A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysi
    Review Br J Sports Med: first published as 10.1136/bjsports-2018-099697 on 18 October 2018. Downloaded from Impact of prenatal exercise on both prenatal and postnatal anxiety and depressive symptoms: a systematic review and meta-analysis Margie H Davenport,1 Ashley P McCurdy,1 Michelle F Mottola,2 Rachel J Skow,1 Victoria L Meah,3 Veronica J Poitras,4 Alejandra Jaramillo Garcia,4 Casey E Gray,5 Nick Barrowman,6 Laurel Riske,1 Frances Sobierajski,1 Marina James,1 Taniya Nagpal,2 Andree-Anne Marchand,7 Megan Nuspl,8 Linda G Slater,9 Ruben Barakat,10 Kristi B Adamo,11 Gregory A Davies,12 Stephanie-May Ruchat13 ► Additional material is ABStract it is generally accepted that both conditions are published online only. To view Objective To examine the influence of prenatal exercise underdiagnosed and undertreated during the peri- please visit the journal online 5 6 (http:// dx. doi. org/ 10. 1136/ on depression and anxiety during pregnancy and the natal period. These conditions have immediate bjsports- 2018- 099697). postpartum period. and persisting adverse impacts on both mother and Design Systematic review with random effects meta- child. For numbered affiliations see analysis and meta-regression. For mothers, depression and/or anxiety during end of article. Data sources Online databases were searched up to 6 pregnancy strongly predicts postpartum depres- January 2017. sion and anxiety; depression and anxiety are asso- Correspondence to Dr Margie H Davenport, Study eligibility criteria Studies of all designs ciated with reduced self-care,
    [Show full text]
  • Physical Activity During Early Pregnancy and Antenatal Depression: a Prospective Cohort Study T
    Mental Health and Physical Activity 16 (2019) 54–59 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Mental Health and Physical Activity journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/menpa Physical activity during early pregnancy and antenatal depression: A prospective cohort study T ∗ Jonathan K.L. Maka, Andy H. Leea, , Ngoc Minh Phama, Li Tangb, Xiong-Fei Panc, Zhu-Ping Xud, Colin W. Binnsa, Xin Sune a School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia b Department of Scientific Research, Sichuan Jinxin Women and Children's Hospital, Chengdu, China c Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China d Shuangliu Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Chengdu, China e Chinese Evidence-based Medicine Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Keywords: Background: Despite the known health benefits of physical activity, its impact on depression during pregnancy Antenatal depression remains inconclusive, especially in Asian populations. A large prospective cohort study was conducted to as- China certain the association between total and domain-specific physical activity during early pregnancy and antenatal Depressive symptoms depression in Chinese women. Physical activity Methods: Information was collected prospectively from a cohort of 1440 pregnant women in Chengdu, Western Pregnancy China. Habitual physical activities (total, domain-specific and intensity level) were measured by the validated Chinese version of the Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire during the first trimester. Antenatal depressive symptoms were assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) at 32–37 weeks of gestation. Multivariable linear and logistic regression analyses were undertaken, modelling EPDS as both continuous score and binary variable, respectively.
    [Show full text]
  • Evidence Portfolio – Pregnancy and Postpartum Work Group, Question 4
    Evidence Portfolio – Pregnancy and Postpartum Work Group, Question 4 What is the relationship between physical activity, affect, anxiety, and depression during pregnancy and postpartum (up to one year)? a. What dose of physical activity is associated with the reported quantitative benefit or risk? b. Is there a dose-response relationship? If yes, what is the shape of the relationship? c. Does the relationship vary by age, ethnicity, socio-economic status, or weight status? Sources of Evidence: Existing Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Conclusion Statements and Grades AFFECT DURING PREGNANCY OR THE POSTPARTUM PERIOD Insufficient evidence is available to determine whether a relationship exists between physical activity and affect during pregnancy and the postpartum period. PAGAC Grade: Not assignable. Insufficient evidence is available to determine whether a specific dose of physical activity is associated with affect during pregnancy and the postpartum period. PAGAC Grade: Not assignable. Insufficient evidence is available to determine whether a dose-response relationship exists between physical activity and affect during pregnancy and the postpartum period. PAGAC Grade: Not assignable. Insufficient evidence is available to determine whether the relationship between physical activity and affect varies by age, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or weight status. PAGAC Grade: Not assignable. ANXIETY DURING PREGNANCY Limited evidence suggests that higher levels of physical activity are associated with reduced symptoms of anxiety during pregnancy. PAGAC Grade: Limited. Insufficient evidence is available to determine the dose of physical activity that is associated with reduced symptoms of anxiety during pregnancy. PAGAC Grade: Not assignable. Insufficient evidence is available to determine whether a dose-response relationship exists between physical activity and reduced symptoms of anxiety during pregnancy.
    [Show full text]
  • Depression During Pregnancy & the Postnatal Period
    Depression during pregnancy & the postnatal period Perinatal depression refers to depression that occurs during pregnancy or the postnatal period and affects 15–20 per cent of women in Australia. The childbearing years, especially the first few weeks after childbirth, are the peak period for the onset of depression in women. Perinatal depression varies with respect to symptoms, timing of onset, causes, risk factors, severity and duration. It can also vary in the need for professional assessment and the type of treatment. What this fact sheet covers • Types of depression during pregnancy and the postnatal period • Symptoms of postnatal depression • Causes of pregnancy-related depression • Risk factors and triggers for pregnancy- related depression • Finding help • Key points to remember Types of depression during with sleeping that is very common in the first week after the birth of a baby. It requires no pregnancy and the postnatal period special treatment, unless the symptoms are Short episodes of tiredness, nausea, aches and severe. pains, irritability, sleep disturbance and loss of interest in sex are relatively common as part of the normal adjustment process in the perinatal 2. Antenatal depression period and will not require treatment. Antenatal depression refers to depression that It is important to distinguish between the ‘baby starts during pregnancy. Between 10-15 per cent blues’, antenatal depression and postnatal of pregnant women experience mood swings depression. during pregnancy that last more than two weeks at a time and interfere with normal day-to-day functioning. Medical assessment is necessary in 1. The ‘baby blues’ such circumstances. The term ‘baby blues’ refers to a brief episode of mood swings, tearfulness, anxiety and difficulty Creating a mentally healthier world 3.
    [Show full text]
  • Depression and Anxiety in Pregnancy During COVID-19: a Rapid Review and Meta-Analysis
    Depression and Anxiety in Pregnancy during COVID-19: A Rapid Review and Meta-Analysis Lianne M. TOMFOHR-MADSEN, PhD1,2,3 Nicole RACINE, PhD1,2 Gerald F GIESBRECHT PhD1,2 Catherine LEBEL, PhD2,4 Sheri MADIGAN, PhD1,2 1. Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB 2. Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute (ACHRI), Calgary, AB 3. Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB 4. Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB Disclosure Statement: The authors report no conflicts of interest. Financial Support: Salary support for this project was provided by the Canadian Child Health Clinician Scientist Program (CCHCSP; LTM). Address correspondence to: Lianne Tomfohr-Madsen, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive, NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, [email protected] 1 Abstract Objective: The present study rapidly reviewed and meta-analyzed the worldwide prevalence of depression and anxiety among pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A systematic search of the literature and meta-analyses were conducted. Results: Fifteen studies with 11,091 participants met inclusion criteria. Depression was assessed in 11 studies, with a pooled prevalence of .265 or 26.5% and anxiety in 12 studies, with a pooled prevalence of .335 or 33.5%. Conclusions: Rates of depression and anxiety during pregnancy are elevated during the pandemic. There is an urgent need to ensure screening and treatment for depression and anxiety during pregnancy. Keywords: Pregnancy, COVID-19, Mental Health, Depression, Anxiety, Meta-Analysis 2 Exposure to natural disasters and disease outbreaks increases the prevalence of mental health problems, including during pregnancy.1 Early reports from pregnant cohorts around the world suggest elevated depression and anxiety symptoms among pregnant individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, the exact prevalence is unknown.
    [Show full text]
  • Effectiveness of Moderate-Intensity Aerobic Water Exercise During Pregnancy on Quality of Life and Postpartum Depression: a Multi-Center, Randomized Controlled Trial
    Journal of Clinical Medicine Article Effectiveness of Moderate-Intensity Aerobic Water Exercise during Pregnancy on Quality of Life and Postpartum Depression: A Multi-Center, Randomized Controlled Trial Araceli Navas 1, María del Carmen Carrascosa 2, Catalina Artigues 2, Silvia Ortas 2, Elena Portells 2, Aina Soler 3,4, Aina M. Yañez 4,5,* , Miquel Bennasar-Veny 4,5,* and Alfonso Leiva 3,4 1 Hospital Comarcal de Inca, Balearic Islands Health Services, 07300 Inca, Spain; [email protected] 2 Mallorca Primary Health Care, Balearic Islands Health Services, 07002 Palma, Spain; [email protected] (M.d.C.C.); [email protected] (C.A.); [email protected] (S.O.); [email protected] (E.P.) 3 Primary Care Research Unit of Mallorca, Balearic Islands Health Services, 07002 Palma, Spain; [email protected] (A.S.); [email protected] (A.L.) 4 Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands (IdISBa), 07120 Palma, Spain 5 Nursing and Physiotherapy Department, Balearic Islands University, 07122 Palma, Spain * Correspondence: [email protected] (A.M.Y.); [email protected] (M.B.-V.); Tel.: +34-9711-72914 (A.M.Y.); +34-9711-72367 (M.B.-V.) Citation: Navas, A.; Carrascosa, Abstract: Background: The global prevalence of postpartum depression is about 20%. This disease M.d.C.; Artigues, C.; Ortas, S.; has serious consequences for women, their infants, and their families. The aim of this randomized Portells, E.; Soler, A.; Yañez, A.M.; clinical trial was to analyze the effectiveness and safety of a moderate-intensity aerobic water exercise Bennasar-Veny, M.; Leiva, A.
    [Show full text]
  • Download PDF File
    Ginekologia Polska 2020, vol. 91, no. 1, 24–28 Copyright © 2020 Via Medica ORIGINAL PAPER / OBSTETRICS ISSN 0017–0011 DOI: 10.5603/GP.2020.0006 Antenatal depression and anxiety in primiparous Polish mothers and fathers Eliza Kiepura , Grazyna Kmita The Institute of Mother and Child, Warsaw, Poland ABSTRACT Objectives: Mood disturbances are the most prevalent mental health problems in expectant parents. The knowledge about the factors which increase the risk of perinatal depression is insufficient, especially in fathers. The aims of the present study were to estimate the prevalence and to compare mean levels of antenatal depression and anxiety as well as to examine the relationship between the risk for depression and anxiety in primiparous Polish parents. Material and methods: 250 parental couples participating in antenatal classes took part in the study. Depression and anxiety were measured with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), respectively. Paired t-test with bootstrapping was applied to compare parental EPDS, as well as STAI raw scores. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated for depression and anxiety scores for women and men separately. The factors predictive for the increased risk of depression were investigated with the use of a multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: 10% of women and 4% of men were at risk of depression. High level of state anxiety was found in 7.7% of expect- ant mothers and 10% of fathers, whereas elevated state anxiety was found in 19% of both parents. EPDS scores correlated moderately with anxiety. The risk of depression was increased by state anxiety in the case of mothers and by trait anxiety in the case of fathers.
    [Show full text]
  • Maternal Mental Health – Women’S Voices
    Maternal Mental Health – Women’s Voices February 2017 Maternal Mental Health – Women’s Voices February 2017 Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists 27 Sussex Place, Regent’s Park, London NW1 4RG © Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists 2017 Registered charity no. 213280 www.rcog.org.uk Report written by Karina Russell with input from members of the Maternal Mental Health Alliance, Annette Ashley, Gerald Chan, Samantha Gibson and Rebecca Jones Copy-edited and typeset by Andrew Welsh (www.andrew-welsh.com) Contents Foreword iv Visual summary vi Executive summary ix Recommendations xi 1 Introduction 1 2 Women’s experiences of perinatal mental health problems 2 3 Women’s experiences engaging with healthcare professionals 5 4 Referrals and services for perinatal mental health 9 5 Partners’ experiences of mental health problems 14 6 Regional variations in perinatal mental health services 16 Experiences engaging with healthcare professionals 16 Referrals to services 16 7 Women’s Voices 19 Knowledge and understanding 19 Experiences of and access to support 21 Experiences of healthcare professionals 23 Specific perinatal mental health conditions 26 Breastfeeding and mental health 30 Appendix A Provision of specialist community perinatal mental health teams in the UK 32 Appendix B Survey questions 33 Appendix C Respondents’ demographics 41 iv Foreword As many as one in five women develop a mental health problem during pregnancy or in the first year after the birth of their baby. The pain this causes women and their families, the negative impact on their health and wellbeing, and the economic costs to individuals, the NHS and the nation are considerable.
    [Show full text]
  • Aerobic Exercise Training During Pregnancy Reduces Depressive Symptoms in Nulliparous Women: a Randomised Trial
    Robledo-Colonia et al: Exercise during pregnancy and depression Aerobic exercise training during pregnancy reduces depressive symptoms in nulliparous women: a randomised trial Angelo Fernando Robledo-Colonia, Natalia Sandoval-Restrepo, Yannier Ferley Mosquera- Valderrama, Celia Escobar-Hurtado and Robinson Ramírez-Vélez University of Valle, Cali, Colombia Question: Does supervised aerobic exercise during pregnancy reduce depressive symptoms in nulliparous women? Design: Randomised trial with concealed allocation, blinded assessors, and intention-to-treat analysis. Participants: 80 nulliparous, pregnant women attending for prenatal care at one of three tertiary hospitals in Cali, Colombia. Intervention: The experimental group completed a 3-month supervised exercise program, commencing at 16 to 20 weeks of gestation. Each session included walking (10 min), aerobic exercise (30 min), stretching (10 min), and relaxation (10 min). The control group continued usual activities and performed no specific exercise. Outcome measures: The primary outcome was symptoms of depression assessed by the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) at baseline and immediately after the 3-month intervention. Results: 74 women completed the study. After the 3-month intervention, the experimental group reduced their depressive symptoms on the CES-D questionnaire by 4 points (95% CI 1 to 7) more than the control group. Conclusions: A supervised 3-month program of primarily aerobic exercise during pregnancy reduces depressive symptoms. Trial registration: NCT00872365. <3PCMFEP$PMPOJB"' 4BOEPWBM3FTUSFQP/ .PTRVFSB7BMEFSSBNB:' &TDPCBS)VSUBEP$ 3BN®SF[ 7²MF[3 "FSPCJDFYFSDJTFUSBJOJOHEVSJOHQSFHOBODZSFEVDFT EFQSFTTJWF TZNQUPNT JO OVMMJQBSPVT XPNFO BSBOEPNJTFEUSJBMJournal of Physiotherapyo> Key words: Aerobic exercise, Pregnant women, Depression, Randomised trial, Physiotherapy Introduction supported the popular belief that physical activity is Depression disorders have become a widespread health associated with psychological health in pregnant women.
    [Show full text]
  • Completed Suicide During Pregnancy and Postpartum
    57 Ann Ist Super Sanità 2021 | Vol. 57, No. 1: 57-66 DOI: 10.4415/ANN_21_01_09 Completed suicide during pregnancy and postpartum Monica Vichi1, Isabella Berardelli2 and Maurizio Pompili2 SECTION 1Servizio di Statistica, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy 2Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Salute Mentale e Organi di Senso, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Sant’Andrea, Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy ONOGRAPHIC Abstract Key words M Both pregnancy and the postpartum are typical periods for the onset or relapse of psychi- • suicide atric symptoms and disorders, with depression and anxiety being the most common. The • pregnancy prevalence of suicide spectrum behaviour is significantly higher among women with a • postpartum diagnosis of depressive or bipolar disorder. Suicide during pregnancy and postpartum is a • peripartum multifactorial phenomenon and a history of psychiatric illness is only one of the possible risk factors involved in suicide spectrum behaviour. The present paper highlights the im- portance of a complete screening for both depression and suicide risk during peripartum. INTRODUCTION and disorders [7], with depression and anxiety being Pregnancy and the postpartum are generally char- the most common [8]. Depressive symptoms occurring acterized by positive feelings and expectations but during pregnancy often persist postpartum, suggesting they may also disguise maternal stress and difficulties. a strong relation between antenatal depressive symp- Suicide is a major public health issue, with more than toms and postpartum depression [9]. Furthermore, ap- 800,000 people dying annually, and over recent years proximately half of postpartum depression cases have a growing number of reports have also identified preg- onset during pregnancy [10]. nancy and postpartum as critical periods for suicide Data regarding the incidence of peripartum depres- risk.
    [Show full text]