LEVEL OF DEPRESSION AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71000/x9ywj704Keywords:
Depression, EPDS, Activities of Daily Living, Antenatal Depression, Mental Health, Pregnancy, Women’s HealthAbstract
Background: Pregnancy is a physiologically and emotionally dynamic phase that significantly influences both maternal and fetal well-being. The lifestyle and daily routines adopted during this period play a crucial role in shaping outcomes. Among modifiable factors, physical activity has been identified as an effective tool in maintaining mental health and reducing antenatal depression, which in turn impacts functional ability and quality of life.
Objective: To assess the level of depression and its association with activities of daily living (ADLs) among pregnant women.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted over six months at Lady Willingdon Hospital and Jinnah Hospital, Lahore. A total of 200 pregnant women aged 20 to 35 years were recruited using a non-probability convenience sampling method. Depression levels were assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), categorized as mild (7–13), moderate (14–19), and severe (20–30). Functional status was measured using the Physical Self-Maintenance Scale (ADLs), categorized as severe (1–2), moderate (3–4), and mild (5–6) impairment. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 25. Ethical approval was obtained prior to the commencement of the study.
Results: Of the 200 participants, 73 (36.5%) were aged 20–25 years, 68 (34%) were 25–30 years, and 59 (29.5%) were 30–35 years. Based on EPDS, 118 women (59%) had mild depression, 52 (26%) moderate, and 30 (15%) severe. According to ADLs, 40 participants (20%) had severely affected functioning, 54 (27%) had moderate, and 106 (53%) had mild impairment. A statistically significant association was found between depression severity and ADL impairment (p = 0.000).
Conclusion: The study concluded that antenatal depression is significantly associated with impairment in activities of daily living, and highlights the importance of addressing mental health to maintain maternal functionality during pregnancy.
References
Masjoudi M, Aslani A, Seifi M, Khazaeian S, Fathnezhad-Kazemi A. Association between perceived stress, fear and anxiety of COVID 19 with self-care in pregnant women: a cross-sectional study. Psychol Health Med. 2022;27(2):289-300.
Li W, Cheng H, Wu L, Wu H, Deng Y. Characteristics and effects on daily lives of pelvic girdle pain during early postpartum in Beijing women, China. Women Health. 2024;64(4):330-40.
Kato T, Sampei M, Saito K, Morisaki N, Urayama KY. Depressive symptoms, anxiety, and quality of life of Japanese women at initiation of ART treatment. Sci Rep. 2021;11(1):7538.
Shen L, Shi W, Cai L, An J, Ling Q. Discuss the Application of Data Services in Data Health Management of High-Risk Pregnant and Lying-In Women in Smart Medical Care. Scanning. 2022;2022:5957697.
Ozdemir J, Ozcan S. Do postpartum insomnia, fatigue and depression affect the maternal role of primiparous women? Women Health. 2023;63(10):837-46.
Shen L, Wei C, Wu Y, Wu Y, Zheng Y. Effect of extended precision nursing on neurobehavioral function and pregnancy outcome in patients with threatened abortion. Medicine (Baltimore). 2024;103(14):e37133.
An J, Lilly C, Shaffer JR, Foxman B, Marazita ML, McNeil DW. Effects of depression and stress on oral self-care among perinatal women in Appalachia: A longitudinal study. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2024;52(6):871-9.
Du Y, Luo Y, Zheng X, Liu J. Number of children and cognitive function among Chinese menopausal women: The mediating role of depressive symptoms and social participation. J Affect Disord. 2023;340:758-65.
Grover B, Einerson BD, Keenan KD, Gibbins KJ, Callaway E, Lopez S, et al. Patient-Reported Health Outcomes and Quality of Life after Peripartum Hysterectomy for Placenta Accreta Spectrum. Am J Perinatol. 2022;39(3):281-7.
Almuqbil M, Kraidiye N, Alshmaimri H, Ali Kaabi A, Almutiri A, Alanazi A, et al. Postpartum depression and health-related quality of life: a Saudi Arabian perspective. PeerJ. 2022;10:e14240.
Bryant AS, Coleman J, Shi X, Rodriguez M, Papadopoulos AS, Merz K, et al. The Power and Promise of Postpartum Self Care: Evaluation of a Web-Based Tool for Underserved Women. Matern Child Health J. 2023;27(3):548-55.
Cunha GHD, Urbina Rojas YE, Dantas MB, Gomes MEC, Siqueira LR, Fontenele MSM. Technologies for healthy lifestyle in people with HIV: a systematic review. Rev Esc Enferm USP. 2025;59:e20240396.
Warmelink JC, Marissink L, Kroes L, Ranjbar F, Henrichs J. What are antenatal maternity care needs of women who conceived through fertility treatment?: a mixed methods systematic review. J Psychosom Obstet Gynaecol. 2023;44(1):2148099.
ADEOYE, I. A. 2022. Pattern and correlates of physical activity and sedentary behaviours of pregnant women in Ibadan, Nigeria: Findings from Ibadan pregnancy cohort study. PLOS Global Public Health, 2, e0001153.
Bo, H.-X., Yang, Y., Zhang, D.-Y., Zhang, M., Wang, P.-H., Liu, X.-H., Ge, L.-N., Lin, W.-X., Xu, Y. & Zhang, Y.-L. 2021. The prevalence of depression and its association with quality of life among pregnant and postnatal women in China: a multicenter study. Frontiers in psychiatry, 12, 656560.
Minschart, C., De Weerdt, K., Elegeert, A., Van Crombrugge, P., Moyson, C., Verhaeghe, J., Vandeginste, S., Verlaenen, H., Vercammen, C. & Maes, T. 2021. Antenatal depression and risk of gestational diabetes, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and postpartum quality of life. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 106, e3110-e3124.
Oviedo-Caro, M. A., Bueno-Antequera, J. & Munguia-Izquierdo, D. 2022. The associations of pregnancy-related symptoms with health-related quality of life at midpregnancy: the PregnActive project. The Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine, 35, 5337-5345.
Prabhu, S., Guruvare, S., George, L. S., Nayak, B. S. & Mayya, S. 2022. Prevalence and associated risk factors of antenatal depression among pregnant women attending tertiary care hospitals in South India. Depression research and treatment, 2022, 9127358.
Riaz, A., Ghafoor, I. A., Fazal, N., Shahid, A., Anwar, A., Sukhera, S. & Hamid, M. F. 2022. Effects of aerobic exercises on antenatal depression in pregnant women: Aerobic exercises on antenatal depression. Pakistan BioMedical Journal, 200- 205.
Sánchez-Polán, M., Franco, E., Silva-José, C., Gil-Ares, J., Pérez-Tejero, J., Barakat, R. & Refoyo, I. 2021. Exercise during pregnancy and prenatal depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in physiology, 12, 640024.
Soto-Fernández, I., Gómez-Cantarino, S., Yáñez-Araque, B., Sánchez- Infante, J., Zapata-Ossa, A. & Dios-Aguado, M. 2022. A cross-sectional study examining the association between physical activity and perinatal depression. Medicina, 58, 1174.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Ayesha, Amina Riaz, Muhammad Saif Ikram, Fizza Saeed Ur Rehman, Iqra Shabbir, Umar, Fatima (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
