Non-complicated pregnancy, anxiety and depression

Abstract

In many studies pregnant women have higher levels of anxiety and depression than their non-pregnant controls. In our study we observed randomly selected 100 pregnant women (mean age 25.9 ± 4.7, ranged from 16 to 39 years, and mean duration of pregnancies of 26.8 ± 9.5 weaks) with noncomplicated pregnancies controlled at Department of Gynecology and Obstetric Primary health center Tuzla in period January - April 2006. Most of pregnant group (56) consisted nulliparous pregnancies aged 23.7 ± 3.5 years with mean duration of pregnancy of 27.25 ± 9.7 weaks. All subjects were evaluated using Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Control group consisted 30 young healthy nonpregnant females 31.1 ± 4.4 (ranged from 24 to 40) years. Mean value of BAI was 8.6 ± 6.5 and BDI 4.2 ± 4.4 in control group. In group of pregnant females mean value of BAI was not significantly higher (p=0.08) than in nonpregnant controls (11.2 ± 7.5). But BDI level in pregnant group (9.1 ± 5.8) showed significantly higher level (p< 0.0001) than in control group. Not statistical differencies in values of anxiety and depression was observed between nulliparous normal-risk pregnancies (BAI 12.2 ± 7.8, BDI 10.5 ± 5,9) and uni/multiparous pregnancies (BAI 10.8 ± 7,1, BDI 8.1 ± 5.5), but level of anxiety was significantly higher in nulliparous (p=0.03) group compared with control group. Both group of pregnant woman had significantly higher levels of depression in comparison with non-pregnant controls (for nulliparous p<0.001, and for uni/multiparrous p=0.001).