Abstract:

Prenatal depression is a debilitating mental health condition that affects pregnant women globally and ranks as the third most prevalent condition in the world. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the prevalence and determinants of prenatal depressive symptoms among pregnant women at a tertiary hospital in Rivers State, Nigeria. A total of 230 pregnant women aged 15-49 years, who booked in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, had a single gestation, and had no previous or family history of mental health disorders or systemic illness, were recruited using systematic random sampling. Data was collected using a semi-structured, pre-tested, and validated interviewer-administered questionnaire adapted from the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). The prevalence of antenatal depressive symptoms in this study was 6.5%. Factors associated with prenatal depression were level of education, religion, ethnicity, and history of miscarriage/abortion/stillbirth (p<0.05). This study highlights the need for routine mental health screening and support for pregnant women in tertiary antenatal care settings in Nigeria, particularly for those with identified risk factors. Further research using longitudinal designs and diagnostic tools is recommended to explore the complex interplay of sociodemographic, obstetric, and psychosocial factors that influence prenatal depression in this population.

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