The association between depressive symptoms during pregnancy and post-delivery fear of childbirth; a prospective study

Figures & data

Table 1. Baseline characteristics of the women with and without depression.

	Depression (EPDS ≥12, N = 28)		No depression (EPDS <12, N = 217)
	N	%	N	%	P-value
Non-Caucasian	6	21	15	6.9	0.02
Nulliparous	7	25	35	16	0.24
Low education	15	54	54	25	0.001
No partner	1	3.6	1	0.46	0.085
Smoking	9	32	32	15	0.02
Alcohol	10	36	31	14	0.004
Drugs use	0	0	2	0.92	0.61
Twin pregnancy	1	3.6	12	5,5	0.55
Psychiatric history	12	43	42	19	0.005

Table 2. Pregnancy outcomes of women with and without depression.

	Depression (EPDS ≥12, N = 28)		No Depression (EPDS <12, N = 217)
	N	%	N	%	P-value
Start of delivery					0.52
Spontaneous	11	39	109	50
Induction of labour	11	39	74	34
Elective Caesarean section	6	21	36	17
Analgesia during labour					0.67
Epidural	8	29	64	29
Remifentanyl	5	18	43	20
Other*	0	0	8	3.7
None	15	54	102	47
Mode delivery					0.79
Spontaneous	18	64	136	62
Operative vaginal delivery	2	7	13	6
Elective Caesarean section	6	21	36	17
Emergency Caesarean section	2	7.1	32	15
Preterm delivery<37 weeks	5	18	25	12	0.34
5 minute apgar≤7	2	7.1	8	3.7	0.38
Male gender	16	57	118	54	0.78
Admission of the neonate	5	18	35	16	0.81

* Sedative or opiods during labour, spinal or general anaesthesia during Caesarean was not counted

Figure 1. Change in EDS score during and after pregnancy and association with PFOC.

Table 3. Association between depression before 20 weeks and depression and PFOC six weeks post-delivery.

	Depression (EPDS ≥12, N = 28)		No Depression (EPDS <12, N = 217)
	N	%	N	%	OR	95% CI	adjusted OR	95% CI
EPDS ≥12 six weeks post-delivery	7	25	13	6.0	5.2	1.8–15	4.9	1.4–17
PFOC six weeks post-delivery	10	39	18	8.9	6.4	2.5–16	9.2	2.6–32

*Adjusted for ethnicity, education, smoking, alcohol use and psychiatric history.