OBJECTIVES: The psychological status of Chinese pregnant women who present with obstetrical complications is concerning to Chinese health professionals. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of antenatal depression and analyzed related risk factors in a population of high-risk Chinese women.
DESIGN: A large sample size, cross-sectional study.
METHODS: A total of 842 pregnant women with complications completed the Chinese version of the Postpartum Depression Screen Scale (PDSS) in this cross-sectional study. t-Test, ANOVA and Binary logistic regression tests were used in data analysis of antenatal depression and risk factors.
RESULTS: The prevalence of major or minor depression in high-risk Chinese pregnant women during antenatal period was 8.3% and 28.9%, respectively. Independent-sample t-test and two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated significant differences in age, education, occupation and the number of complications (P<0.05). Binary logistic regression analysis indicated a significant negative association between depression and education (P<0.01) with lower educational level (OR: 0.590; 95% CI: 0.424-0.820) associated with a higher risk for depression. A significant positive association was observed between depression and age (P<0.05) with higher age (OR: 1.338; 95% CI: 1.008-1.774) correlated with a higher risk for depression.
CONCLUSIONS: Women who experienced obstetric complications presented with higher PDSS depression scores. Screening for antenatal depression in high-risk pregnant women to promote early detection of depression and reduce health risks for universal health promotion is recommended.