Author: Saliha Hassan, Student of Master of Science in Nursing (MSCN) at the Aga Khan University, School of Nursing and Midwifery, with 12 years of clinical and teaching experience in the field of nursing, speciality area is medicine and adult critical care.
Being pregnant is one of the crucial milestones in a woman’s life. It is characterized by feelings of fulfilment, and happiness. However, the pregnancy period is also overwhelming and stressful because of hormonal changes, and adjustments to a new role, which may impact the mental well-being of the woman. During this period women may develop psychological issues such as depression which is known as prenatal depression. Worldwide more than 10% of women experience prenatal depression and in low-income countries, the prevalence is around 15.6% (WHO, 2023). The potential consequences of depression can impact both the mother and fetus. The risk of low birth weight is 1.49 times and preterm birth risk is 1.40 times greater in babies born from mothers with prenatal depression (Dadi et al., 2020). In severe cases, women with parental depression can commit suicide (WHO, 2023). In developing countries, still there is less focus towards emotional and mental well-being of women.
Various factors can contribute to depression in women during pregnancy. In developing countries, because of several psychosocial influences women are at risk of developing prenatal depression. A study conducted in a rural area of Pakistan found that around 27% of pregnant women had depression (Khan et al., 2021). Factors identified as poor autonomy, inadequate social support, violence, and adverse events.
Similarly, another study conducted in India showed a 37.8 % depression rate among pregnant women. Most of the study participants were from low-income groups and contributing factors could be difficult circumstances, financial constrained, and unemployment (Sheeba et al., 2019).
Depression can lead to many other health issues such as heart disease, and diabetes. Ackerman-Banks et al. (2023) highlighted that there is a risk of developing new cardiovascular diseases post-delivery in women with prenatal depression.
These findings demonstrate the importance of focusing on maternal mental health, particularly in developing countries where the prevalence of depression is very high. Proper screening and identification of maternal mental health issues are imperative. Necessary interventions should be done to support women in addressing stress, and depression. Prioritizing mental well-being of pregnant women is pivotal in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals of improving maternal health, preventing infant mortality, promoting gender equality and empowering women.
References:
Ackerman-Banks, C. M., Lipkind, H. S., Palmsten, K., Pfeiffer, M., Gelsinger, C., & Ahrens, K. A. (2023). Association of Prenatal Depression With New Cardiovascular Disease Within 24 Months Postpartum. Journal of the American Heart Association. https://doi.org/10.1161/jaha.122.028133
Dadi, A. F., Miller, E. R., Bisetegn, T. A., & Mwanri, L. (2020). Global burden of antenatal depression and its association with adverse birth outcomes: an umbrella review. BMC Public Health, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-8293-9
Khan, R., Waqas, A., Mustehsan, Z. H., Khan, A. S., Sikander, S., Ahmad, I., Jamil, A., Sharif, M., Bilal, S., Zulfiqar, S., Bibi, A., & Rahman, A. (2021). Predictors of Prenatal Depression: A Cross-Sectional Study in Rural Pakistan. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.584287
Sheeba, B., Nath, A., Metgud, C. S., Krishna, M., Venkatesh, S., Vindhya, J., & Murthy, G. V. S. (2019). Prenatal Depression and Its Associated Risk Factors Among Pregnant Women in Bangalore: A Hospital Based Prevalence Study. Frontiers in Public Health, 7. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2019.00108
WHO. (2023). Maternal mental health. Www.who.int. https://www.who.int/teams/mental-health-and-substance-use/promotion-prevention/maternal-mental-health
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