Major Depression in the Antenatal Period in the Core Niger Delta Area of Nigeria: A Neglected Area of Practice

Background: Major antepartum depression is associated with multisystemic symptoms, functional impairment, obstetric complications and even maternal mortality secondary to suicide if not promptly treated.

Aims: To determine the prevalence of antepartum depression among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic in the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital so that the affected patients could be promptly identified and managed, thereby averting the negative effects of the condition on the unborn child, mother and the family.

Methodology: This was a cross sectional study carried out in the antenatal clinic of the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital over a period of four months. A total of 163 antenatal patients who met the inclusion criteria were selected using the systematic random sampling method. Data on socio-demographic, obstetrics and medical information were obtained with semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. Screening for depression was done using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). A score of 10 and above on EPDS was considered depression. Data were analysed with SPSS version 23 and a p-value of less than 0.05 was considered significant.

Results: The mean age of the participants was 29.1±4.53 years with an age range of 20-40 years. The highest proportion (43.6%) of the participants were 26-30 years. The majority of the participants were married (87.1%), from monogamous families (73.6%) and had tertiary level of education (67.5%), majority were within the high social class (56.4%), and did not experience intimate partner violence (92.6%). The prevalence of depression was 44.8%.

Conclusion: The prevalence of antenatal depression in Rivers State University Teaching Hospital was high underscoring the urgent need for introduction of universal screening for the disease in each trimester.