Preeclampsia and depression: a case-control study in Tehran

This study was conducted to determine the correlation between preeclampsia and depression.

Participants in this study included 156 cases with preeclampsia and 156 controls without any history of preeclampsia who were all newly admitted to antepartum wards, emergency room wards, and labor and delivery wards of the study hospitals (Valieasr, Shariatti, Mirza Koochak Khan, Shahid Akbar Abadi, Baharloo and Arash). They consented and completed a questionnaire on demographic characteristics, obstetric, delivery and infant information and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) to assess their depression status. Data were analyzed through independent t test, Mann-Whitney U test, Chi-squared test, Fisher's exact test and multiple regression by SPSS and STATA.

Moderate to severe depression was found in 31.2% of the cases and 24.8% of the controls. Women with no depression in comparison with women with mild depression had a 1.81-fold (95% CI 1.05-3.14; P = 0.03) increased risk of preeclampsia, while moderate to severe depression correlated with a 2.52-fold increase (95% CI 1.05-6.02; P = 0.03) after adjustment of the probable confounding variables.

With regard to the high prevalence of moderate to severe depression and its association with preeclampsia, our findings support and suggest efforts for screening depression among pregnant women and appropriate educational studies for mental and psychological problems during pregnancy.