Evaluation of the prevalence and risk factors of perinatal depression among women living with HIV in the Amhara Region, Northwest Ethiopia

Depressive disorder is a common mental health issue among perinatal mothers living with HIV, potentially leading to significant despair and anxiety. This condition can hinder maternal-infant bonding and undermine efforts to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Despite its importance, little is known about the factors associated with depression in this population. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors of perinatal depression among women living with HIV in the Amhara region, Northwest Ethiopia, in 2022. An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 399 HIV-positive pregnant and postpartum women, both with follow-up and newly diagnosed cases, who attended PMTCT services in the East Gojjam Zone Public Hospitals from May 28 to July 12, 2022. Participants were selected using a simple random sampling technique. Data were collected through direct interviews and document reviews. The Edinburgh Perinatal Depression Scale was used to assess perinatal depression which demonstrated high internal reliability (Cronbach's alpha of 0.93). Data were cleaned and analyzed using Epi-data version 3.1 and SPSS version 25. Binary logistic regression models were used to identify variables associated with perinatal depression, with statistical significance set at p