How Gestational Depression Impacts on Quality of Life

Abstract

IntroductionThe prevalence of gestational depression (GD) is high, and it is estimated that, in developed countries, it affects between 7% and 15% of pregnant women, while in low-economic income countries, the rate reaches 15% to 25% [1,2]. Maybe even more important than the prevalence of GD are the evidences showing how GD impacts on mother, her baby and the whole family.Gestational depression can generate cognitive distortions that affect the decision-making capacity of the mother [3]. Depressed pregnant women are also more prone to use alcohol, tobacco and other licit and illicit drugs. Furthermore, they attend fewer to prenatal care follow up and will show more frequently unhealthy eating habits, sleep disturbances and less physical activities [4]. These behaviors associated to the biological mechanisms of the depression can expose the offspring to deleterious consequences as pre-eclampsia, pre-term birth, restricted fetal growth and/or low birth weight [5]. Additionally, the physiology of the offspring of depressed mothers can be influenced by maternal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysfunction, that is, increased levels of cortisol and catecholamines. These can stress the developing brain of the fetus and expose them to behavioral disturbances and psychiatric disorders later in life [6].Besides these impacts, we know that GD can also strongly affect the quality of life of women. Health-related quality of life (HRQL) is a useful concept to measure experienced health state and the alterations, which are consequences of illnesses. It has been recognized and established as an outcome variable and health status indicator in medical and public health research [7,8]. Although some studies have shown that symptoms of depression during pregnancy significantly affect the quality of life of pregnant women [9][10][11] and particularly their social relations and living conditions [12,13], it remains a neglected matter of study.This study aimed to assess the impact of gestational depression on quality of life in a sample of pregnant women in Brazil.

Antenatal screening of depressive and manic symptoms in south Brazilian childbearing women: A transversal study in advance of the pandemic scenario

“…These results are inferior to those of major depression in the second trimester obtained in Brazilian childbearing women after application of the MINI-Plus Interview by Castro and Couto et al . and Brancaglion et al ., that achieved prevalence of 17.3% and 21.7%, respectively [ 4 , 5 ].…”

“…Major depressive and bipolar disorder are important psychiatric conditions that can be identified in this period, affecting respectively 20.0% and 9.0–20.0% of childbearing women [ 2 , 3 ]. Perinatal depression is manifested as a major depressive episode during pregnancy or until the first month of puerperium [ 4 , 5 ]. Type I bipolar disorder is defined as at least a manic episode in life, interspersed with a history of hypomanic or major depressive episodes, whereas type II bipolar disorder predominates hypomanic and depressive episodes [ 2 ].…”

Antenatal depression and anxiety amongst women during pregnancy at tertiary care hospital

“…Women who are already dealing with an immense chronic stress in their lives may find themselves unable to manage the extra demands of the first trimester of pregnancy. Many women experience unpleasant emotions as a result of pregnancy and a tendency towards difficult living circumstances like poverty or already having dependent children (2). Furthermore, domestic violence during pregnancy is associated with an increase in the prevalence of troubled relationships between partners (3).…”