Association between social and family support and antenatal depression: a hospital-based study in Chengdu, China

Abstract

BackgroundAntenatal depression (AD) is considered as one of the major health burdens and has adverse effects on the outcome of expectant mothers and newborns. The present study aims to investigate the prevalence of antenatal depression (AD), and to explore the potential risk factors of AD among pregnant women in Chengdu, including personal background, related social factors, family factors and cognitive factors.MethodsThe prospective nested case-control study included pregnant women who were in their second pregnancy and attended prenatal care at three tertiary hospitals and one regional hospital in Chengdu, China, between March 2015 and May 2016. Self-designed questionnaires were given to participants in their second and third trimesters to collect information on clinical and demographic characteristics, and a modified edition of Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) were used to measure AD. The logistic regression was applicated in analyses.ResultsA total of 996 pregnant women were included in analysis. Ninety-three women suffered from AD symptoms only in their second trimester, 96 only in their third trimester, and 107 displayed persistent depression in both trimesters. In the univariate analyses, age and marital relationships were linked with AD occurrence in both second and third trimester. In addition, increasing age, full-time job, higher education level, and no gender preference of spouse were associated with reduced persistent depression. Multivariate analysis showed that gender preference and marital relationship were the potential risk factors of persistent depression.ConclusionsAge, marital relationship relationships, with parents-in-law, the negative recognition of this pregnancy and husband’s gender preference were found as risk factors of AD occurrence in some specific trimester. Gender preference of husbands and marital relationships were independently associated with persistent depression. These findings suggest that stronger family support can help improve mental health of pregnant women.

Factors associated with antenatal depression among pregnant women in Vietnam: A multisite cross-sectional survey

“…By contrast, women with higher levels of education were more likely to experience depression. Our result was contradictory to a previous study in China (Hu et al, 2019). We hypothesized that well-educated women tend to have richer social relationships and high positions in society, and being pregnant might hinder job prospects and social relationships.…”

Family function fully mediates the relationship between social support and depression among antenatal and postpartum women in rural Southwest China

“…This can be explained by the vulnerability-stress model, when antenatal or postpartum women facing the stressor, the low social support leads to family dysfunction which increases environmental vulnerability and triggers the onset of depression [64]. Compared to western women, Chinese women seem to be more family-oriented and thus are more likely to be affected by family relationships [65].…”

“…Previous studies had shown that depression is negatively correlated with family functioning [32,33]. Improvement of family function may contribute to better prognosis of depression [34].In addition, Wang Y et al (2019) proposed a model that family function moderated the indirect relationship between social support and depression in the elderly [35].…”

Fatores de risco associados à depressão em gestantes: revisão integrativa da literatura

“…González-Mesa et al (2019), destacou que um dos fatores que influenciou a diferença na prevalência de depressão pré-natal entre turcas e espanholas foi a estrutura familiar. Para Hu et al, (2019), a influência do apoio social e familiar pode exercer um papel relevante na depressão pré-natal de mulheres grávidas em diferentes trimestres com base em seus resultados em Chengdu.…”