Risk factors for mental disorders in pregnant women in two cities from São Paulo, Brazil: A cohort study
This study showed that pregnant women in the more recent Araraquara cohort exhibited significantly higher levels of psychological distress symptoms, anxiety, and perceived stress than those in the earlier Jundiaí cohort. These mental health outcomes were strongly associated with lower per capita income, lower education levels, higher household density, and adverse pregnancy conditions such as urinary infection and gestational hypertension. These findings highlight the worsening social vulnerability of pregnant women over time and reinforce the urgency of incorporating systematic mental health screening into prenatal care policies in Brazil.
Authors
- Audêncio Victor (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8161-3639)
- Maria Paula Carvalho Leitão (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9037-1272)
- Patrícia Helen de Carvalho Rondó (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8308-6393)
- Liânia Alves Luzia (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8317-1398)
- Lívia Patrícia Rodrigues Batista
- Rinaldo Artes (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6354-0846)
- Laísla de França da Silva Teles (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2620-0989)
- Perla Pizzi Argentato (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4625-1158)
Institutions
- Universidade de São Paulo (BR)
- Department of Public Health (AS)
- London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (GB)
- Insper (BR)
Publication Details
- Journal
- PLoS ONE
- Published
- 2025-09-04
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0330921
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 1.88