Journal of Depression and Anxiety
Open Access

Abstract

How Gestational Depression Impacts on Quality of Life

Mayra Yara Martins Brancaglion, Sarah Rückl, Tiago Castro e Couto, Luiz Eduardo Viana, Rodrigo Nicolato and Humberto Corrêa da Silva Filho

The association between depressive symptoms and quality of life (QoL) is well established, however, little is known about the association of gestational depression and QoL. The purpose of this study is to address how GD impacts on QoL. Therefore, one hundred and eighty women in the second trimester of pregnancy were interviewed with an abbreviated version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire and the MINI International Neuropsychiatric Interview. From this sample, 21.6% were diagnosed with depression. Sociodemographic, psychopathological data and QoL domains of the two groups were compared using Chi-square tests, Fisher’s exact tests and Analyses of Variance. Correlations between sociodemographic and the QoL domains were calculated. Regression analysis was adopted to find relevant predictors of GD. The results showed that all domains of QoL were correlated with prior and current depression. Most domains correlated with previous postpartum depression. The only predictor of GD was years of education of the mother. In conclusion, prior and current depression are related to QoL and when in contact with a patient, clinicians should address not only depressive symptoms but also QoL dimensions, which include basic human needs such as life satisfaction and living conditions.