Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Depressive symptoms during pregnancy and after birth in women living in Sweden who received treatments for fear of birth

Hildingsson, Ingegerd and Rubertsson, Christine LU (2022) In Archives of Women's Mental Health 25(2). p.473-484
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of depressive symptoms and associated factors in women who underwent treatments for fear of birth; internet-based cognitive therapy, counseling with midwives, continuity with a known midwife or standard care. A secondary analysis was performed using data collected from four samples of women identified with fear of birth and receiving treatment with different methods. A questionnaire was used to collect data in mid-pregnancy and at follow-up 2 months after birth. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depressive Scale. In mid-pregnancy, 32% of the 422 women with fear of birth also reported a co-morbidity with depressive symptoms. At postpartum follow-up, 19%... (More)
The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of depressive symptoms and associated factors in women who underwent treatments for fear of birth; internet-based cognitive therapy, counseling with midwives, continuity with a known midwife or standard care. A secondary analysis was performed using data collected from four samples of women identified with fear of birth and receiving treatment with different methods. A questionnaire was used to collect data in mid-pregnancy and at follow-up 2 months after birth. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depressive Scale. In mid-pregnancy, 32% of the 422 women with fear of birth also reported a co-morbidity with depressive symptoms. At postpartum follow-up, 19% reported depressive symptoms 2 months after birth, and 12% showed continued or recurrent depressive symptoms identified both during pregnancy and postpartum. A history of mental health problems was the strongest risk factor for presenting with depressive symptoms. None of the treatment options in this study was superior in reducing depressive symptoms. This study showed a significant co-morbidity and overlap between fear of birth and depressive symptoms. Screening for depressive symptoms and fear of birth during pregnancy is important to identify women at risk and offer specific treatment. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Archives of Women's Mental Health
volume
25
issue
2
pages
473 - 484
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • scopus:85124984721
  • pmid:35190877
ISSN
1434-1816
DOI
10.1007/s00737-022-01213-z
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
364515e8-8de6-4620-ab4a-7b1e786f90ee
date added to LUP
2022-02-22 14:18:50
date last changed
2022-08-24 03:00:03
@article{364515e8-8de6-4620-ab4a-7b1e786f90ee,
  abstract     = {{The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of depressive symptoms and associated factors in women who underwent treatments for fear of birth; internet-based cognitive therapy, counseling with midwives, continuity with a known midwife or standard care. A secondary analysis was performed using data collected from four samples of women identified with fear of birth and receiving treatment with different methods. A questionnaire was used to collect data in mid-pregnancy and at follow-up 2 months after birth. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depressive Scale. In mid-pregnancy, 32% of the 422 women with fear of birth also reported a co-morbidity with depressive symptoms. At postpartum follow-up, 19% reported depressive symptoms 2 months after birth, and 12% showed continued or recurrent depressive symptoms identified both during pregnancy and postpartum. A history of mental health problems was the strongest risk factor for presenting with depressive symptoms. None of the treatment options in this study was superior in reducing depressive symptoms. This study showed a significant co-morbidity and overlap between fear of birth and depressive symptoms. Screening for depressive symptoms and fear of birth during pregnancy is important to identify women at risk and offer specific treatment.}},
  author       = {{Hildingsson, Ingegerd and Rubertsson, Christine}},
  issn         = {{1434-1816}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{473--484}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Archives of Women's Mental Health}},
  title        = {{Depressive symptoms during pregnancy and after birth in women living in Sweden who received treatments for fear of birth}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00737-022-01213-z}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s00737-022-01213-z}},
  volume       = {{25}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}