Risk factors for antenatal depression, postnatal depression and parenting stress

By Bronwyn Leigh, J. Milgrom. BMC Psychiatry, 2008

905 citations recorded by the source corpus.

BackgroundGiven that the prevalence of antenatal and postnatal depression is high, with estimates around 13%, and the consequences serious, efforts have been made to identify risk factors to assist in prevention, identification and treatment. Most risk factors associated with postnatal depression have been well researched, whereas predictors of antenatal depression have been less researched. Risk factors associated with early parenting stress have not been widely researched, despite the strong link with depression. The aim of this study was to further elucidate which of some previously identified risk factors are most predictive of three outcome measures: antenatal depression, postnatal depression and parenting stress and to examine the relationship between them.MethodsPrimipara and multiparae women were recruited antenatally from two major hoitals as part of the beyondblue National Postnatal Depression Program [1]. In this subsidiary study, 367 women completed an additional large battery of validated questionnaires to identify risk factors in the antenatal period at 26–32 weeks gestation. A subsample of these women (N = 161) also completed questionnaires at 10–12 weeks postnatally. Depression level was measured by the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI).ResultsRegression analyses identified significant risk factors for the three outcome measures. (1). Significant predictors for antenatal depression: low self-esteem, antenatal anxiety, low social support, negative cognitive style, major life events, low income and history of abuse. (2). Significant predictors for postnatal depression: antenatal depression and a history of depression while also controlling for concurrent parenting stress, which was a significant variable. Antenatal depression was identified as a mediator between seven of the risk factors and postnatal depression. (3). Postnatal depression was the only significant predictor for parenting stress and also acted as a mediator for other risk factors.ConclusionRisk factor profiles for antenatal depression, postnatal depression and parenting stress differ but are interrelated. Antenatal depression was the strongest predictor of postnatal depression, and in turn postnatal depression was the strongest predictor for parenting stress. These results provide clinical direction suggesting that early identification and treatment of perinatal depression is important.

Subfields: Clinical Psychology, Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health, Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/1d9f969d38b6d7497327ed2c06971bf9e6b6e167

How researchers see this paper

The researchers whose trusted networks rank it highest, strongest advocate first. Every researcher gets a different order.

In Clinical Psychology

In Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health

In Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

Citations in the corpus

Identifying the women at risk of antenatal anxiety and depression: A systematic review (2016, background): “…Menezes, 2007; Fisher et al., 2013, 2010; Glazier et al., 2004; Hartley et al., 2011; Holzman et al., 2006; Husain et al., 2011; Jeong et al., 2013; Leigh and Milgrom, 2008; Lydsdottir et al., 2014; Prady et al., 2013; Rich-Edwards et al., 2006; Weobong et al., 2014; Zeng et al., 2015) found low…”
Magnitude and risk factors for postpartum symptoms: a literature review. (2015, background): “…countries are antenatal depression (Leung et al., 2005; Kitamura et al., 2006; Rich-Edwards et al., 2006; Lee et al., 2007; Bilszta et al., 2008; Leigh and Milgrom, 2008; Davey et al., 2011; EscribaAguir and Artazcoz, 2011; Hamdan and Tamim, 2011; Lanes et al., 2011; Gaillard et al., 2014),…”
Maternal Dysphoric Mood, Stress, and Parenting Practices in Mothers of Head Start Preschoolers: The Role of Experiential Avoidance (2011, background): “Depressed women are also more likely to experience stress specifically about their role as mothers (Leigh & Milgrom, 2008 ).”