An analysis of key factors related to adaptation during pregnancy that contribute to the risk of perinatal depression.

Abstract

Background: The third trimester of pregnancy involves multiple changes to which women need to adapt. When such adaptation to pregnancy is unsuccessful, this can increase the risk to suffer perinatal depression. Yet, an integrative analysis of different forms of adaptation to pregnancy and their specific contributions to perinatal depression is still missing.

Objectives: This study thus aimed to advance knowledge on the role of specific indicators of adaptation to pregnancy as predictors of risk for or protection against perinatal depression.

Design and methods: A randomized non-discriminatory exponential chain methodology was used to recruit a sample of 594 women in their third trimester of pregnancy. The participants completed online assessments, including sociodemographic data and psychological measures. A backward binary logistic regression was conducted to determine which dimensions of problems of adaptation to pregnancy accounted for higher risk to categorize women with clinically significant levels of depressive symptoms.

Results: The proposed model accounted for 17% of the variability in the occurrence of perinatal depression symptoms. Specific indicators of adjustment to pregnancy, such as a having lower positive views of the future with the baby, acceptance of the news of pregnancy, talking with the partner about the future baby, and acceptance of physical discomfort, emerged as protective factors.

Conclusion: Our study identifies key protective factors against perinatal depression in the third trimester, including imagining a positive future with the baby, a positive reaction to pregnancy confirmation, discussing the baby with a partner, and positively experiencing physical discomfort during pregnancy. This study provides a deeper understanding of key aspects of pregnancy adaptation that should be strengthened in clinical practice to reduce the development of depressive symptoms in late pregnancy.