Predictors of depression among pregnant women attending antenatal care in a tertiary hospital

Background: Maternal mental health status is a key determinant of fetomaternal well-being, childhood growth, and development. Yet, in many developing country settings, especially with the poor doctor–patient ratio, depression is often underdiagnosed during routine antenatal care (ANC) clinic visits....

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Main Authors: Edu Eyong, Ezukwa Ezukwa Omoronyia, Michael Eyong, Ijeoma Charles-Ugwuagbo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2025-01-01
Series:Archives of Mental Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/amh.amh_151_24
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author Edu Eyong
Ezukwa Ezukwa Omoronyia
Michael Eyong
Ijeoma Charles-Ugwuagbo
author_facet Edu Eyong
Ezukwa Ezukwa Omoronyia
Michael Eyong
Ijeoma Charles-Ugwuagbo
author_sort Edu Eyong
collection DOAJ
description Background: Maternal mental health status is a key determinant of fetomaternal well-being, childhood growth, and development. Yet, in many developing country settings, especially with the poor doctor–patient ratio, depression is often underdiagnosed during routine antenatal care (ANC) clinic visits. Aims and Objectives: The aim is to determine the predictors of depression, among pregnant women attending ANC in a tertiary hospital using the Beck’s depression inventory (BDI). Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study design was employed, while a systematic random sampling method was used to recruit ANC clinic attendees at a tertiary teaching hospital. BDI was used to assess the mental health status of subjects, via interviewer-administration of pretested questionnaire following ethical approval. Factors associated with depression were assessed using Chi-square, Fisher’s exact, and independent t-test, with a P value set at 0.05. Results: The prevalence of clinical depression was found to be 13.2%. Lower level of education, earlier gestation period, and grandmultiparity were factors found to be significantly associated with depression (P < 0.05). Conclusion: A significant proportion of pregnant women have suboptimal mental health status, with unmet mental health needs that potentially worsen as pregnancy progresses. Antenatal clinic consultations should emphasize mental health assessment, especially among at-risk pregnant women, toward the prevention of adverse fetomaternal consequences.
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publishDate 2025-01-01
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spelling doaj-art-8584a30c8ed7423ca0bb33ddddbff5882025-08-20T02:02:38ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsArchives of Mental Health2589-91712589-918X2025-01-0126111111510.4103/amh.amh_151_24Predictors of depression among pregnant women attending antenatal care in a tertiary hospitalEdu EyongEzukwa Ezukwa OmoronyiaMichael EyongIjeoma Charles-UgwuagboBackground: Maternal mental health status is a key determinant of fetomaternal well-being, childhood growth, and development. Yet, in many developing country settings, especially with the poor doctor–patient ratio, depression is often underdiagnosed during routine antenatal care (ANC) clinic visits. Aims and Objectives: The aim is to determine the predictors of depression, among pregnant women attending ANC in a tertiary hospital using the Beck’s depression inventory (BDI). Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study design was employed, while a systematic random sampling method was used to recruit ANC clinic attendees at a tertiary teaching hospital. BDI was used to assess the mental health status of subjects, via interviewer-administration of pretested questionnaire following ethical approval. Factors associated with depression were assessed using Chi-square, Fisher’s exact, and independent t-test, with a P value set at 0.05. Results: The prevalence of clinical depression was found to be 13.2%. Lower level of education, earlier gestation period, and grandmultiparity were factors found to be significantly associated with depression (P < 0.05). Conclusion: A significant proportion of pregnant women have suboptimal mental health status, with unmet mental health needs that potentially worsen as pregnancy progresses. Antenatal clinic consultations should emphasize mental health assessment, especially among at-risk pregnant women, toward the prevention of adverse fetomaternal consequences.https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/amh.amh_151_24antenatal caredepressionpredictorspregnancy
spellingShingle Edu Eyong
Ezukwa Ezukwa Omoronyia
Michael Eyong
Ijeoma Charles-Ugwuagbo
Predictors of depression among pregnant women attending antenatal care in a tertiary hospital
Archives of Mental Health
antenatal care
depression
predictors
pregnancy
title Predictors of depression among pregnant women attending antenatal care in a tertiary hospital
title_full Predictors of depression among pregnant women attending antenatal care in a tertiary hospital
title_fullStr Predictors of depression among pregnant women attending antenatal care in a tertiary hospital
title_full_unstemmed Predictors of depression among pregnant women attending antenatal care in a tertiary hospital
title_short Predictors of depression among pregnant women attending antenatal care in a tertiary hospital
title_sort predictors of depression among pregnant women attending antenatal care in a tertiary hospital
topic antenatal care
depression
predictors
pregnancy
url https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/amh.amh_151_24
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AT michaeleyong predictorsofdepressionamongpregnantwomenattendingantenatalcareinatertiaryhospital
AT ijeomacharlesugwuagbo predictorsofdepressionamongpregnantwomenattendingantenatalcareinatertiaryhospital