Associations of body shape dissatisfaction before and during pregnancy with perinatal depressive symptoms among Japanese women

Body image may play a significant role in the development of perinatal depression; however, its relevance remains controversial. This study aimed to elucidate the association between body shape dissatisfaction before and during pregnancy and depressive symptoms during the perinatal period among Japanese women. This study used secondary data. Women with singleton pregnancies were recruited from March to December 2020 in Osaka, Japan. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Participants were classified into three groups according to their body shape satisfaction before and during pregnancy; satisfied, dissatisfied, and neither. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed. Of the 230 participants, 33 (14.3 percent) had depressive symptoms during pregnancy. Of the 221 participants assessed at 1 month postpartum, 20 (9.0 percent) had depressive symptoms. Women with body shape dissatisfaction during pregnancy had a significantly higher risk of depressive symptoms during pregnancy and at 1 month postpartum than those with body shape satisfaction. Furthermore, women who were body shape dissatisfied both before and during pregnancy had a significantly higher risk of depressive symptoms than those whose satisfaction improved during pregnancy. These findings suggest the importance of focusing on body dissatisfaction before and during pregnancy in relation to perinatal depressive symptoms.