Antenatal Depression and Low Birthweight
Author Information
Author(s): A. Rahman, J. Bunn, H. Lovel, F. Creed
Primary Institution: Human Development Research Foundation
Hypothesis
Maternal depressive disorder in the third trimester of pregnancy is associated with low birthweight after controlling for possible confounders.
Conclusion
Maternal depression during pregnancy predicts low birthweight in infants.
Supporting Evidence
- Infants of depressed mothers had lower birthweight (mean 2910 g) than infants of non-depressed mothers (mean 3022 g).
- The relative risk for low birthweight in infants of depressed mothers was 1.9.
- Maternal depression is a treatable disorder that is independently associated with low birthweight.
Takeaway
Moms who feel very sad while pregnant might have babies that are smaller than normal.
Methodology
The study followed 143 depressed and 147 non-depressed mothers, measuring infant weight and collecting data on various factors.
Potential Biases
Potential bias in socioeconomic assessments due to the mental state of depressed mothers.
Limitations
The sample size is small and from only one subdistrict, limiting generalizability.
Participant Demographics
Women aged 17-40 years in their third trimester of pregnancy from a rural community in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
Statistical Information
P-Value
< 0.01
Confidence Interval
95% CI 1.3–2.9
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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