Unplanned pregnancy and perinatal depression: secondary exploratory analyses from a racially and ethnically diverse, low-income sample of birthing people in the United States
Abstract Background The association between unplanned pregnancy and perinatal depression is understudied in racially and ethnically diverse and low-income populations. The present study was compromised of a secondary analysis of data from a low-income and 70% racially and ethnically minoritized samp...
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| Format: | Article |
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BMC
2025-08-01
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| Series: | BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-025-08009-w |
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| author | Katherine A. Czech Jaime Hamil Bayley J. Taple Jody D. Ciolino Ann Kan Allison M. Letkiewicz Alicia Diebold S. Darius Tandon |
| author_facet | Katherine A. Czech Jaime Hamil Bayley J. Taple Jody D. Ciolino Ann Kan Allison M. Letkiewicz Alicia Diebold S. Darius Tandon |
| author_sort | Katherine A. Czech |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The association between unplanned pregnancy and perinatal depression is understudied in racially and ethnically diverse and low-income populations. The present study was compromised of a secondary analysis of data from a low-income and 70% racially and ethnically minoritized sample to examine associations between unplanned pregnancy and perinatal depressive symptoms and to explore potential moderation by social factors. Methods Pregnant individuals (n = 808) were enrolled in a larger study evaluating the effectiveness of a preventative intervention for postpartum depression, and self-reported depressive symptoms were collected prenatally and at 12 weeks postpartum using the 16-item Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology. Multiple linear regression examined the relationship between unplanned pregnancy and maternal depressive symptoms, and the potential interactions between unplanned pregnancy and (1) race/ethnicity (2), education level (3), first-time parent status, and (4) a prenatal mental healthcare utilization. Analyses were conducted both within the sample as a whole and within racial/ethnic subgroups. Results While bivariate regression revealed a significant association between unplanned pregnancy and prenatal depressive symptoms (β = 0.88, 95% CI [0.27, 1.49], p = 0.005), unplanned pregnancy was not significantly associated with prenatal or postpartum depression in adjusted models in the full sample. Analyses suggested different trends in racial/ethnic subgroups. Specifically, endorsing prenatal mental healthcare utilization and unplanned pregnancy was associated with higher prenatal depressive symptoms in the Latine subgroup compared to those whose pregnancies were planned (β = 4.59, 95% CI [0.60, 8.59], p = 0.025). Additionally, unplanned pregnancy was associated with higher depressive symptoms at 12 weeks postpartum compared to those with planned pregnancy also in the Latine sample (β = 1.06; 95% CI [0.10, 2.03], p = 0.031). Unplanned pregnancy was not found to be associated with prenatal depressive symptoms in the adjusted models of any other racial/ethnic subgroups. Conclusions These secondary analyses from a larger study suggest potentially important differences in the association between unplanned pregnancy and perinatal depressive symptoms by racial/ethnic subgroups. Future research should acknowledge the myriad stressors and protective factors experienced by low-income and racially and ethnically diverse perinatal populations when evaluating differences in outcomes among racial/ethnic subgroups. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d44750a128ea4638a5335b0fe9d30266 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1471-2393 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth |
| spelling | doaj-art-d44750a128ea4638a5335b0fe9d302662025-08-24T11:56:32ZengBMCBMC Pregnancy and Childbirth1471-23932025-08-0125111210.1186/s12884-025-08009-wUnplanned pregnancy and perinatal depression: secondary exploratory analyses from a racially and ethnically diverse, low-income sample of birthing people in the United StatesKatherine A. Czech0Jaime Hamil1Bayley J. Taple2Jody D. Ciolino3Ann Kan4Allison M. Letkiewicz5Alicia Diebold6S. Darius Tandon7Department of Psychology, University of DenverInstitute for Public Health and Medicine, Center for Community Health, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern UniversityCenter for Behavioral Intervention Technologies, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern UniversityDivision of Biostatistics and Informatics, Department of Preventive Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern UniversityDivision of Biostatistics and Informatics, Department of Preventive Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern UniversityDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern UniversityInstitute for Public Health and Medicine, Center for Community Health, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern UniversityInstitute for Public Health and Medicine, Center for Community Health, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern UniversityAbstract Background The association between unplanned pregnancy and perinatal depression is understudied in racially and ethnically diverse and low-income populations. The present study was compromised of a secondary analysis of data from a low-income and 70% racially and ethnically minoritized sample to examine associations between unplanned pregnancy and perinatal depressive symptoms and to explore potential moderation by social factors. Methods Pregnant individuals (n = 808) were enrolled in a larger study evaluating the effectiveness of a preventative intervention for postpartum depression, and self-reported depressive symptoms were collected prenatally and at 12 weeks postpartum using the 16-item Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology. Multiple linear regression examined the relationship between unplanned pregnancy and maternal depressive symptoms, and the potential interactions between unplanned pregnancy and (1) race/ethnicity (2), education level (3), first-time parent status, and (4) a prenatal mental healthcare utilization. Analyses were conducted both within the sample as a whole and within racial/ethnic subgroups. Results While bivariate regression revealed a significant association between unplanned pregnancy and prenatal depressive symptoms (β = 0.88, 95% CI [0.27, 1.49], p = 0.005), unplanned pregnancy was not significantly associated with prenatal or postpartum depression in adjusted models in the full sample. Analyses suggested different trends in racial/ethnic subgroups. Specifically, endorsing prenatal mental healthcare utilization and unplanned pregnancy was associated with higher prenatal depressive symptoms in the Latine subgroup compared to those whose pregnancies were planned (β = 4.59, 95% CI [0.60, 8.59], p = 0.025). Additionally, unplanned pregnancy was associated with higher depressive symptoms at 12 weeks postpartum compared to those with planned pregnancy also in the Latine sample (β = 1.06; 95% CI [0.10, 2.03], p = 0.031). Unplanned pregnancy was not found to be associated with prenatal depressive symptoms in the adjusted models of any other racial/ethnic subgroups. Conclusions These secondary analyses from a larger study suggest potentially important differences in the association between unplanned pregnancy and perinatal depressive symptoms by racial/ethnic subgroups. Future research should acknowledge the myriad stressors and protective factors experienced by low-income and racially and ethnically diverse perinatal populations when evaluating differences in outcomes among racial/ethnic subgroups.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-025-08009-wUnplanned pregnancyPerinatal depressionMaternal mental healthPerinatal mental health |
| spellingShingle | Katherine A. Czech Jaime Hamil Bayley J. Taple Jody D. Ciolino Ann Kan Allison M. Letkiewicz Alicia Diebold S. Darius Tandon Unplanned pregnancy and perinatal depression: secondary exploratory analyses from a racially and ethnically diverse, low-income sample of birthing people in the United States BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth Unplanned pregnancy Perinatal depression Maternal mental health Perinatal mental health |
| title | Unplanned pregnancy and perinatal depression: secondary exploratory analyses from a racially and ethnically diverse, low-income sample of birthing people in the United States |
| title_full | Unplanned pregnancy and perinatal depression: secondary exploratory analyses from a racially and ethnically diverse, low-income sample of birthing people in the United States |
| title_fullStr | Unplanned pregnancy and perinatal depression: secondary exploratory analyses from a racially and ethnically diverse, low-income sample of birthing people in the United States |
| title_full_unstemmed | Unplanned pregnancy and perinatal depression: secondary exploratory analyses from a racially and ethnically diverse, low-income sample of birthing people in the United States |
| title_short | Unplanned pregnancy and perinatal depression: secondary exploratory analyses from a racially and ethnically diverse, low-income sample of birthing people in the United States |
| title_sort | unplanned pregnancy and perinatal depression secondary exploratory analyses from a racially and ethnically diverse low income sample of birthing people in the united states |
| topic | Unplanned pregnancy Perinatal depression Maternal mental health Perinatal mental health |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-025-08009-w |
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