Psychological and mental health factors involved in nausea and vomiting across pregnancy

To explore whether nausea and vomiting in pregnancy (NVP) across the spectrum of severity is associated with depression and anxiety and to determine whether NVP and psychological variables predict antenatal anxiety and depressive symptoms.

Using a longitudinal design, we recruited a community sample of 255 pregnant women from the UK. Participants completed online questionnaires examining depressive symptoms, anxiety, NVP, prenatal coping, perceptions of antenatal care and maternal fetal bond in the first (T1) and third (T2) trimesters.

NVP across the spectrum of severity was associated with depressive symptoms throughout the antenatal period but not anxiety symptoms. Avoidant coping was significantly associated with NVP and predicted depressive symptoms in the first trimester but not the third trimester.

This study provides evidence that NVP, co-occurring anxiety and avoidant coping are risk factors for antenatal depressive symptoms. The findings have clinical implications for understanding the risk factors in antenatal depression and possible avenues of support for women experiencing NVP.