Relationships between Depression, Fear of Childbirth, and Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms among Pregnant Women under the COVID-19 Pandemic in Japan
Little is known about the causality of antenatal depression (AND). We focused on the causal relationships between AND, fear of childbirth (FOC), and obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. We also examined whether the perceived threat of COVID-19 is associated with...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Healthcare |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/11/3/361 |
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| author | Yuriko Usui Mizuki Takegata Satoru Takeda Toshinori Kitamura |
| author_facet | Yuriko Usui Mizuki Takegata Satoru Takeda Toshinori Kitamura |
| author_sort | Yuriko Usui |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Little is known about the causality of antenatal depression (AND). We focused on the causal relationships between AND, fear of childbirth (FOC), and obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. We also examined whether the perceived threat of COVID-19 is associated with AND. Participants were recruited for an Internet survey conducted in December 2020. A total of 245 pregnant women completed the online survey at 12 to 15 weeks’ gestational age (Time 1) and approximately 10 weeks later (Time 2). AND was estimated using the first two diagnostic items of Major Depressive Episode. The estimated prevalence of AND was 4.5% and 2.9% at Time 1 and Time 2, respectively. At both time points, no association was found between AND and the perception of COVID-19 threat. Structural equation modeling showed that AND predicted OCS (β = 0.16, <i>p</i> < 0.001), which, in turn, predicted FOC (β = 0.09, <i>p</i> = 0.042); FOC, in turn, predicted AND (β = 0.23, <i>p</i> < 0.001). AND, OCS, and FOC were predicted by borderline personality traits. Insecure adult attachment influenced AND and FOC via the perceived negative impact of the current pregnancy. Perinatal care providers should assess the personality and perception of pregnancy to prevent depression and pay attention to symptoms such as FOC and OCS in addition to those of depression. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T09:44:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-eee2e03ca52b4eee8c4be7d2baca1544 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-9032 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T09:44:30Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Healthcare |
| spelling | doaj.art-eee2e03ca52b4eee8c4be7d2baca15442023-11-16T16:44:14ZengMDPI AGHealthcare2227-90322023-01-0111336110.3390/healthcare11030361Relationships between Depression, Fear of Childbirth, and Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms among Pregnant Women under the COVID-19 Pandemic in JapanYuriko Usui0Mizuki Takegata1Satoru Takeda2Toshinori Kitamura3Department of Midwifery and Women’s Health, Division of Health Sciences and Nursing, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, JapanKitamura Institute of Mental Health Tokyo, Tokyo 151-0063, JapanDepartment of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo 113-8421, JapanKitamura Institute of Mental Health Tokyo, Tokyo 151-0063, JapanLittle is known about the causality of antenatal depression (AND). We focused on the causal relationships between AND, fear of childbirth (FOC), and obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. We also examined whether the perceived threat of COVID-19 is associated with AND. Participants were recruited for an Internet survey conducted in December 2020. A total of 245 pregnant women completed the online survey at 12 to 15 weeks’ gestational age (Time 1) and approximately 10 weeks later (Time 2). AND was estimated using the first two diagnostic items of Major Depressive Episode. The estimated prevalence of AND was 4.5% and 2.9% at Time 1 and Time 2, respectively. At both time points, no association was found between AND and the perception of COVID-19 threat. Structural equation modeling showed that AND predicted OCS (β = 0.16, <i>p</i> < 0.001), which, in turn, predicted FOC (β = 0.09, <i>p</i> = 0.042); FOC, in turn, predicted AND (β = 0.23, <i>p</i> < 0.001). AND, OCS, and FOC were predicted by borderline personality traits. Insecure adult attachment influenced AND and FOC via the perceived negative impact of the current pregnancy. Perinatal care providers should assess the personality and perception of pregnancy to prevent depression and pay attention to symptoms such as FOC and OCS in addition to those of depression.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/11/3/361antenatal depressionCOVID-19personalityadult attachmentfear of childbirthobsessive-compulsive disorder |
| spellingShingle | Yuriko Usui Mizuki Takegata Satoru Takeda Toshinori Kitamura Relationships between Depression, Fear of Childbirth, and Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms among Pregnant Women under the COVID-19 Pandemic in Japan Healthcare antenatal depression COVID-19 personality adult attachment fear of childbirth obsessive-compulsive disorder |
| title | Relationships between Depression, Fear of Childbirth, and Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms among Pregnant Women under the COVID-19 Pandemic in Japan |
| title_full | Relationships between Depression, Fear of Childbirth, and Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms among Pregnant Women under the COVID-19 Pandemic in Japan |
| title_fullStr | Relationships between Depression, Fear of Childbirth, and Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms among Pregnant Women under the COVID-19 Pandemic in Japan |
| title_full_unstemmed | Relationships between Depression, Fear of Childbirth, and Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms among Pregnant Women under the COVID-19 Pandemic in Japan |
| title_short | Relationships between Depression, Fear of Childbirth, and Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms among Pregnant Women under the COVID-19 Pandemic in Japan |
| title_sort | relationships between depression fear of childbirth and obsessive compulsive symptoms among pregnant women under the covid 19 pandemic in japan |
| topic | antenatal depression COVID-19 personality adult attachment fear of childbirth obsessive-compulsive disorder |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/11/3/361 |
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