Study on the Prevalence of Antenatal Depression and Anxiety and its Association with Maternal Social Support

Abstract Background: Antenatal depression and anxiety are common psychiatric problems that occur during pregnancy and can have significant impacts on the health and well-being of pregnant women and their children. Perceived maternal social support has been proposed as a potential protective factor against the development of antenatal depression and anxiety, but this relationship has not been well understood in the Indian context. Aims: The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of depression and anxiety in pregnant women, to assess social support during pregnancy, and to study the association between social support and depression and anxiety in pregnant women. Materials and Methods: The study was a cross-sectional single-center study conducted in a tertiary care hospital in Mumbai. The study population consisted of 227 married pregnant women fulfilling inclusion and exclusion criteria and giving informed consent, who attended the weekly antenatal clinic of Obstetrics OPD from September 2022 to January 2024. Data were collected using a sociodemographic pro forma. Depression and anxiety were assessed using Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Social support was assessed using the Maternal Social Support Index questionnaire. The data were compiled, tabulated, and analyzed using SPSS version 22. Results: In this study, 227 participants were enrolled, of which the majority, 61.7%, were in the age group of 25–31 years. Majority (42.7%) had household monthly income between 10,000 and 1 lakh, had studied up to high school (42.2%), and had a part-time job (31.2%). Most patients were in their third trimester (39.64%) and multigravida (51.55%). Furthermore, 39% reported alcohol use by spouse, whereas 21.5% reported intimate partner violence. The prevalence of depression in the current study was 35.68% while that of anxiety was 38.7%. Antenatal depression and anxiety were associated with low social support in a statistically significant manner. There was a statistically significant association between depression and anxiety and the following variables: alcohol use by spouse and intimate partner violence. Conclusion: Early recognition of social support plays a crucial role in identifying maternal mental illness, enabling timely intervention and effective remedial measures to protect the well-being of both mother and child.