A Study of the Relationship Between Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Antenatal Depression Using the Edinburgh...

During pregnancy, a mother experiences a wide range of physiological as well as psychological changes. Maternal depression is one of the most common psychiatric disorders that occurs during pregnancy as well as after childbirth. If undiagnosed and untreated, it can lead to various maternal health issues, higher infant morbidity and mortality, and can also affect the growth, nutritional health, and cognitive, intellectual, and socioemotional development of the child. Women with diabetes during pregnancy are a high-risk group for developing mental health problems, and this has attracted worldwide attention. This study was therefore conducted to assess the relationship between gestational diabetes mellitus and antenatal depression and to identify factors associated with antenatal depression among the study participants.

The study included 480 pregnant women, of whom 240 had gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and 240 did not. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was used to measure symptoms of depression in pregnant women attending routine antenatal care (ANC) visits. The scale was administered at 28 weeks of gestation and at the last antenatal visit prior to delivery. Descriptive statistics, logistic regression, and multiple regression analyses were performed to analyse the data.

The final analysis was conducted on 467 study participants, of whom 232 pregnant women were diagnosed with GDM, whereas 235 pregnant women did not have GDM. The overall prevalence of significant depressive symptoms among the study participants was 11.6%. Thirty-seven (15.9%) pregnant women with GDM and 17 (7.2%) women without GDM had significant symptoms of antenatal depression (EPDS score ≥ 12). Pregnant women who exhibited significant symptoms of antenatal depression had a higher mean age (p = 0.039). Lower socioeconomic status (p = 0.038), limited social support (p = 0.046), and a sedentary lifestyle (p < 0.001) were associated with the presence of significant symptoms of antenatal depression.

The results suggest that symptoms of depression are more common in women with gestational diabetes. Therefore, assessment and education regarding this condition during the antenatal period are important.