Antenatal depressive symptoms and adverse birth outcomes in Hanoi, Vietnam

Antenatal depression is a significant health problem in low and middle- income countries. Although the condition is associated with severe adverse consequences for the mother and newborn, it remains a neglected problem. The purpose of this study was to describe the association between antenatal depressive symptoms and preterm birth (PTB), low birth weight (LBW), and small for gestation age (SGA).

The study was conducted in Dong Anh District, Hanoi, Vietnam, among pregnant women of less than 24 weeks of gestation. Information on socioeconomic characteristics and reproductive history was collected at enrollment and ADS and experiences of intimate partner violence were assessed at week 32. Birth outcomes were determined at delivery. Bivariate and logistic regression analyses were applied to assess the associations between ADS and PTB, LBW, and SGA.

ADS was significantly associated with an increased risk of PTB (crude OR = 2.4; 95%; CI: 1.01-5.4 and adjusted OR = 2.4; 95% CI: 1.1-5.2, respectively) and a significantly increased risk for giving birth to an LBW infant (crude OR = 3.1; 95% CI: 1.4-7.0 and adjusted OR = 3.5; 95% CI: 1.6-7.6, respectively). In contrast, ADS was not statistically associated with small for gestation age.

ADS is associated with an increased risk of PTB and LBW but not associated with SGA.