Badar Ahmad Jamal, Ghulam Dastgir, Munawar Saleem Khan, Neelam Iqbal, Rabia Benish, Asad Mahmood Khan, Tahseen Haider Kazmi.
Antenatal Depression: Prevalence Predictors and Frequently Employed Coping Strategies.
Pak J Med Health Sci Jan ;12(2):432-6.

Background: Depression, a psychological disorder manifested as persistent sadness, sleep disturbance etc. is a threatening condition during pregnancy, as it has been shown to be associated with adverse maternal and fetal consequences. Aim: To evaluate the prevalence of antenatal depression in a hospital based sample in Lahore, Pakistan, ascertaining its significant predictors and frequently utilized coping techniques. Methods: A total of 197 antenatal attendees within the age limit of 20-40 years, visiting the out-patient department of the said tertiary-care hospital, were accepted as the study participants. Subjects receiving psychiatric treatment or anti depressant medication were excluded from the study. Beck’s Depression Inventory, was utilized as the screening tool for depression. Results: Brief COPE was employed to assess the use of various coping strategies. Pearson Chi square and multiple linear regression analysis were used to evaluate significant risk factors and predictors respectively, for development of depression. As per investigation, 57.4% participants screened negative for depression, 23.4% showed mild mood disturbance, 4.6% screened positive for borderline clinical depression, 10.2% presented with moderate depression, 3.6% elicited severe depression and 1% reported with extreme depression. Conclusion: History of abortion/miscarriage, unplanned pregnancy, separation from husband and stressful life events, were identified as the predictors of antenatal depression. Great majority of the sample population used Problem Focused Coping techniques.

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