Maternal mental health and its determinants - A community-based cross-sectional study in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh

Maternal mental health problems are one of the major public health challenges. Globally, depression and anxiety cause immense suffering and disability among mothers who later contribute to compromise parenting practices and increased unmet needs of their newborn and young children.

The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence and determinants of maternal common mental disorders (CMDs) among the study population.

A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India, from July 2016 to June 2017, among 415 women of child-bearing age who had one or more children in the age group of 0-23 months. A World Health Organization prequalified questionnaire Self-Reporting Questionnaire 20 was used to assess the CMD of mothers. Binary logistic regression was used for finding out predictors of mental disorders.

Overall prevalence of maternal CMDs was 38.8%. The prevalence of maternal CMD was significantly higher among mothers in a higher age group, belonging to low socioeconomic class, nuclear type of family, living in the urban locality, having lower or no education, being single mothers, housewives, and having higher parity.

Substantially, high prevalence of CMD among mothers suggests for further research to explore the factors affecting the mental health of mothers. Measures for the early identification, treatment, and prevention of maternal mental disorders should be taken.