Depressive and Anxiety Symptoms among Pregnant Women in Beni-Suef Governorate, Egypt.

Abstract

<title>Abstract</title> Background Depression and anxiety during pregnancy are documented significant public health issues. Therefore, the aim of the study is to detect the prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms during pregnancy in Beni-Suef Governorate and to determine the risk factors associated with them. A ten-month analytical cross-sectional study was performed on 434 pregnant women who regularly attended the antenatal care clinic at the Beni-Suef University Hospital and six others randomly chosen health care facilities in the governorate of Beni-Suef. The Arabic versions of the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) and Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HDRS), as well as a structured questionnaire, were employed. Results Prevalence of prenatal depressive and anxiety symptoms was found to be respectively 73.5% and 33.9%, and their occurrence was related to the pregnant woman's place of residence, educational level, and husband's educational level as well as the fetus' gender, history of complications in the current pregnancy, and psychiatric symptoms in the current pregnancy. Conclusion Preventive healthcare initiatives are required to enhance pregnant women's mental health.