Mental distress and demographic, behavioral, obstetric characteristics, and health condition in pregnant women

• Published in: Salud mental (México) Vol. 45; no. 1; pp. 11 - 18
• Main Authors: Hofelmann, Doroteia Aparecida, Harmel, Betina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Portuguese
• Published: Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatria 01.01.2022; Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz
• Subjects: Psychiatry; Pregnancy; women’s health; Embarazo; la salud de la mujer; mental health; salud mental; cross-sectional studies; estudios transversales
• ISSN: 0185-3325
• DOI: 10.17711/SM.0185-3325.2022.003

Introduction. Mental distress can have consequences for the health of women and children. Objective. T o estimate the prevalence of mental distress and to identify its association with socioeconomic, demographic, health-related behaviors, obstetrics, and health status in pregnant women. Method. Cross-sectional study carried out with women undergoing prenatal care at the Unified Health System in Colombo-Parana. The prevalence of mental distress was investigated using the Self-Reporting Questionnaire. Results. Among pregnant women (n = 605), the prevalence of mental distress was 47.9% (95% CI [44.0, 51.9]). After an adjusted analysis, the following was associated with the outcome: living without a partner (PR 1.27; 95% CI [1.06, 1.52]), having up to seven years of schooling (PR 1.30; 95% CI [1.04, 1.63]), performing moderate or intense physical activity (PR 1.47; 95% CI [1.02, 2.12]), consuming alcohol in the last 12 months (PR 1.29; 95% CI [1.08, 1.54]), being in the third pregnancy (PR 1.33; 95% CI [1.06, 1.67]), in the last trimester of pregnancy (PR 1.43; 95% CI [1.06, 1.94]), and the presence of a common pregnancy symptom (PR 1.56; 95% CI [1.15, 2.11]). Discussion and conclusion. Comprehensive mental health care during pregnancy is necessary especially for women in social vulnerability, at the end of pregnancy, and with worse health. Keywords: Pregnancy, mental health, women's health, cross-sectional studies. Introduccion. El distres mental puede afectar la salud de mujeres y ninos. Objetivo. Estimar la prevalencia de distres mental e identificar su asociacion con comportamientos socioeconomicos, demograficos, relacionados con la salud, obstetricia y estado de salud en mujeres embarazadas. Metodo. Estudio transversal realizado con mujeres sometidas a atencion prenatal en el Sistema Unico de Salud de Colombo-Parana. La prevalencia del distres mental se investigo mediante el cuestionario de autoinforme. Resultados. Entre las mujeres embarazadas (n = 605) la prevalencia de distres mental fue de 47.9% (IC 95% [44.0, 51.9]). Despues del analisis ajustado, lo siguiente se asocio con el resultado: vivir sin pareja (RP 1.27; IC 95% [1.06, 1.52]), tener hasta siete anos de escolaridad (RP 1.30; IC 95% [1.04, 1.63]), desempeno moderado o actividad fisica intensa (RP 1.47; IC 95% [1.02, 2.12]), consumo de alcohol en los ultimos 12 meses (RP 1.29; IC 95% [1.08, 1.54]), estar en el tercer embarazo (RP 1.33; IC 95% [1.06, 1.67]) , en el ultimo trimestre del embarazo (PR 1.43; IC 95% [1.06, 1.94]) y la presencia de un sintoma comun del embarazo (RP 1.56; IC 95% [1.15, 2.11]). Discusion y conclusion. La atencion integral en salud mental durante el embarazo es necesaria especialmente para mujeres en situacion de vulnerabilidad social, al final del embarazo y con peor salud. Palabras clave: Embarazo, salud mental, la salud de la mujer, estudios transversales.