Depression and Anxiety Among High-risk Obstetric Inpatients

Objective: To assess the following among women hospitalized antenatally due to high-risk pregnancies: (1) rates of depression symptoms and anxiety symptoms, (2) changes in depression symptoms and anxiety symptoms and, (3) rates of mental health treatment.

Methods: Sixty-two participants hospitalized for high-risk obstetrical complications completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale (GAD-7) and Short-Form 12 weekly until delivery or discharge, and once postpartum.

Results: Average length of total hospital stay was 8.3 ± 7.6 days for women who completed an initial admission survey (n = 62) and 16.3 ± 8.9 (n = 34), 25.4 ± 10.2 (n = 17) and 35 ± 10.9 days (n = 9) for those who completed 2, 3 and 4 surveys, respectively. EPDS was ≥ 10 in 27% (n=17) and GAD-7 was ≥ 10 in 13% (n = 8) of participants at initial survey. Mean anxiety (4.2 ± 6.5 vs. 5.2 ± 5.1, p = .011) and depression (4.4 ± 5.6 vs. 6.9 ± 4.8, p = .011) scores were lower postpartum compared to initial survey. Past mental health diagnosis predicted depression symptoms [odds ratio (OR) = 4.54; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.91-7.17] and anxiety symptoms (OR = 5.95; 95% CI 3.04-8.86) at initial survey; however, 21% (n = 10) with no diagnostic history had EPDS ≥ 10. Five percent (n = 3) received mental health treatment during pregnancy.

Conclusion: Hospitalized high-risk obstetrical patients may commonly experience depression symptoms and/or anxiety symptoms and not receive treatment. A history of mental health treatment or diagnosis was associated with depression symptoms or anxiety symptoms in pregnancy. Of women with an EPDS ≥ 10, > 50% did not report a past mental health diagnosis.