Predictors of depressive symptoms and depression in women with previous pregnancy loss

Depressive symptoms are common in females after pregnancy loss. However, research on risk factors for developing a clinical depressive episode remains limited and with inconsistent findings. This study examined the association of demographic variables (like age), pregnancy-related factors (like number of miscarriages or stillbirths), clinical factors (like medical explanation for the pregnancy loss) and neuroticism (as a well-known risk factor for internalizing disorders) with a current major depressive episode and depression severity in 172 women with miscarriage or stillbirth within the previous year.

Case-control study.

Measures included the semi-structured diagnostic interview DIPS, the State-Trait Anxiety-Depression Inventory (STADI), the Short Version of the Big-Five Inventory (BFI-K). To identify predictors of depression, linear and logistic regression analyses were conducted.

Lower medical support (p = .041), higher stress immediately after the pregnancy loss (p = .027) and higher neuroticism scores (p = .008) were significant predictors of a current major depressive episode in woman with pregnancy loss. Incoherent farewell (p = .043), a history of psychotherapy or psychiatric treatment in the last year (p = .016) and higher neuroticism scores (p < .001) were significantly associated with higher severity of depressive symptoms.

Methodological strengths of our study include a well-validated clinical interview and the investigation of the whole spectrum of gestation age at the time of pregnancy loss. Longitudinal studies should be used to replicate our findings. The knowledge of significant predictors is relevant for the identification of high-risk groups for depression among women with pregnancy loss.