[The influence of sociodemografic and medical variables on severity of anxiety and depressive symptoms during particular trimesters of pregnancy].

AIM

The aim of the study was to research the effect of selected socio-demographic and medical variables on the severity of symptoms of anxiety and depression in different trimesters of pregnancy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study was prospective, longitudinal, the group consisted of 314 adult pregnant women. To assess the prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used. The results were statistically analyzed. To assess the normal distribution the Shapiro-Wilk test was used. Non-parametric tests: Mann Whitney U test and Kruskal Wallis ANOVA were used due to the distribution of the variables tested against the intergroup comparisons that deviate from the normal distribution.

RESULTS

Only the assessment of the financial and housing situation given by the respondents was related to the severity of symptoms of anxiety and depression in the course of the entire pregnancy. The unmarried respondents had greater severity of depressive symptoms in the first and third trimesters. Other socio-demographic variables were not associated with the severity of symptoms of anxiety and depression in different trimesters of pregnancy. Medical variables (associated with an obstetric-gynecological history), such as a history of miscarriage, complications in a previous pregnancy, the mode of delivery in a previous pregnancy, generally did not affect the severity of symptoms of anxiety and depression during pregnancy. Only major symptoms of depression during the third trimester were associated with complications in a previous pregnancy. An unplanned pregnancy turned out to be one of the most crucial variables determining higher severity of anxiety and depression during pregnancy.

CONCLUSIONS

The knowledge of socio-demographic and medical factors associated with the severity of symptoms of anxiety and depression during pregnancy may facilitate better monitoring the groups of women being particularly vulnerable to the occurrence of these disorders. The introduction of screening tests regarding anxiety and depression during pregnancy, being carried out systematically in the course of pregnancy provides an opportunity for earlier diagnosis and more rapid implementation of good practice.