Prevalence and pattern of anxiety and depressive disorders in pregnant women attending antenatal clinic

Managing perinatal depression and anxiety is important for maternal, as well as infant, well-being. Persistent maternal stress, depression and anxiety can result in detrimental effects on infant development; both during pregnancy and postnatal. The aim was to study the prevalence, pattern of anxiety and depressive disorders in pregnant women attending antenatal clinic and the various socio-demographic factors, obstetric factors and other factors related to Anxiety and Depressive disorders in pregnant women.

This was a cross-sectional study conducted at Anti natal clinic (ANC). Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used as screening tool. Those participants who scored 11 in each of the item of HADS were further evaluated by psychiatric history and mental status examination for psychiatric morbidity. Final diagnosis of Psychiatric disorder was established by applying diagnostic and statistical manual-v text revision (DSM-v TR) diagnostic criteria.

Out of 200 pregnant women 15% women were suffering from various Anxiety Disorders, 7% were suffering from Depressive disorders and 2.5% suffered from combined Anxiety and Depressive disorders. Depression or Anxiety was more prevalent among those women who were unwilling for the current pregnancy, those who had high risk obstetric and medical complications during the pregnancy and also among those who had history of domestic violence.

This study also indicates the need to incorporate screening for anxiety and depression in antenatal programs and providing practical support to women during pregnancy. High risk factors need to be focused and interventions related to it need to be taken.