Depression and Anxiety During Pregnancy in Mexican Women: Prevalence and Associated Factors in the OBESO Cohort Study

Background: Depression and anxiety during pregnancy are global public health issues, as both are linked to adverse outcomes for mothers and their newborns. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of depression and anxiety during pregnancy and identify the factors associated with these conditions in Mexican women. Methods: This prospective cohort study included 288 participants. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory were applied during the second trimester of pregnancy. The factors associated with depression and anxiety were analyzed. Results: The prevalence of depression and anxiety was 20.5% (95% confidence interval (CI) 16.1-25.7) and 22.2% (95% CI 17.8-27.3), respectively. The factors independently associated with an increased risk of depression, expressed as adjusted odds ratios with (95% CI), were anxiety, 10.8 (5.4-21.6), p = 0.0001, and educational level, secondary school and high school, 2.6 (1.10-6.14). In contrast, a bachelor's degree was associated with a lower risk of depression, 0.38 (0.16-0.90), p = 0.03. The factors independently associated with a higher risk of anxiety were depression, 11.2 (5.6-22.1), and having children, 3.1 (1.6-6.1), p = 0.03. Conclusions: Our results show that one in five pregnant women exhibit clinical symptoms of depression or anxiety, and one in eight women have both conditions simultaneously. These findings highlight the importance of routine mental health screening and assessment during pregnancy. The factors linked to depression include anxiety and having completed secondary or high school education, while depression and having children were associated with anxiety.