Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Pediatric Nursing Department, Faculty of Nursing, Sohag University, Egypt
2
Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Department, Beni-Suef University, Egypt
3
Psychiatric Nursing Department, Faculty of Nursing, Sohag University, Egypt
4
Community Health Nursing Department, Faculty of Nursing, Sohag University,
5
Obstetric and Gynecology Nursing Department, Faculty of Nursing, Sohag University, Sohag, Egypt
Abstract
Background: The presence of psychological problems, including maternal depression and
anxiety may harm fetal and neonatal growth. Depression and anxiety in pregnancy increase the
liability for adverse fetal and newborn outcomes, including preterm birth. It was accompanied by
abnormal infant development that extended to cognitive problems and psychopathology. This
study aimed to analyze relation between antenatal maternal depression and anxiety during
pregnancy and neonatal outcomes by assessing depression levels among pregnant women,
identifying anxiety levels among pregnant women, and investigating the relation between
antenatal maternal depression and anxiety during pregnancy and neonatal outcomes. Methods: A
cross-sectional descriptive study included 216 pregnant women and their newborns from the
Obstetrics and Gynecology ward at Sohag University Hospital and the Maternal and Child Health
Center (Dar El–Salam Abed- Allah Health Center) at Sohag City. Tools: 1- A structured self
administered questionnaire, anthropometric measurement tool, the Edinburgh Postnatal
Depressive Scale (EPDS), the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Apgar score sheet, were
utilized for collecting the data. Results: Considering depression approximately one quarter of
pregnant women had moderate depression symptoms during pregnancy, while three fifth had no
depression symptoms and 16.0 of them had severe depression symptoms during pregnancy. As
regard less than one fifth of pregnant women had mild level of anxiety, while three quarter of
them had a moderate level of anxiety and less than one fifth of them had severe anxiety level
during pregnancy. Statistically significant relationships were found between severe depression
symptoms scores, anxiety and birth weight, weight-for-GA and length, prematurity less than one
fifth, need for resuscitation one quarter, and need for admission to neonatal intensive care near
one fifth. Conclusion: Pregnant women who are suffering from severe depression and anxiety
symptoms during pregnancy, their babies were more liable to increase the need for neonatal
resuscitation, increase the chance of preterm birth, have a low birth weight, and are small for
gestational age. Recommendation: Providing pregnant women health educational programs
about the effects of depression and anxiety on them and on their neonates, non pharmacological
interventions are important treatments for depression or anxiety that focus on promoting a healthy
lifestyle with adequate nutrition, exercise and sleep < /div>
Keywords
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