Depression and anxiety during pregnancy: The influence of maternal characteristics

Background Depression and anxiety during pregnancy are associated with adverse health outcomes for both mother and child. This study aims to investigate the occurrence of symptoms of depression and anxiety in early and late pregnancy, the longitudinal changes from early to late pregnancy, and factors associated with symptoms of depression and anxiety in pregnant women in the Netherlands. Methods We studied 2897 women participating in the PRegnancy and Infant DEvelopment (PRIDE) Study. To assess symptoms of depression and anxiety, web‐based questionnaires including the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and multiple questions on maternal characteristics were completed in early and late pregnancy. Cross‐sectional and longitudinal multivariable linear regression analyses were conducted. Results The depressive symptoms in our population increased, with a prevalence of probable depression from 5.4% in early pregnancy to 10.0% in late pregnancy (P