Prevalence and Determinants of Antenatal Depression in a Tertiary Care Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Antenatal depression is common mood disorder and is important public mental health problem. It is mostly ignored, underdiagnosed and undertreated. Various socio-demographic determinants, poor social support and marital dissatisfaction were associated with antenatal depression. Aims and Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of antenatal depression among women attending ANC OPD in tertiary care hospital. To determine association of antenatal depression with various demographic factors, perceived social support and marital satisfaction among women attending ANC OPD in tertiary care hospital. Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study included study population of women attending ANC OPD in tertiary care hospital, during the period of January 2023 to August 2024. All women attending routine ANC OPD and aged more than 18 years were included in the study. Women having medical illness or medical complication due to pregnancy, any obstetric complication during current pregnancy, with substance abuse and on psychiatric medications were excluded from the study. Sample size comprised of 323 women. Marital satisfaction in pregnant woman was measured with Couples Satisfaction Index (CSI-4). Perceived social support was measured with Multi-dimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (Zimet et al.1988). Women were screened for antenatal depression using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). The data was analyzed using SPSS software. Mean age, frequencies, proportions, and correlation were calculated. p < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: The mean age of women was 25.20 ±4.031years. The mean of duration of marriage of women was 3.51±2.596 years. The mean gestational age was 29.76 ±6.335. The prevalence of antenatal depression in women attending ANC OPD was 18.6%. The prevalence of antenatal depression in second and third trimester was 29.72% and 14.71% respectively. Antenatal depression had significant correlation with the age of a pregnant women, gestation age, trimester of pregnancy, education of husband, family type of husband and couple satisfaction index i.e. marital satisfaction. Conclusions: In the routine ANC OPD all pregnant women and especially at high risk, aged, multiparous, with poor family support and poor relationship with husband need to be screened for antenatal depression using Edinburg Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). High index of suspicion and early referral of pregnant women to mental health services can prevent antenatal depression.