Anxiety, depression and social support in pregnant women with a history of recurrent miscarriage: a cross-sectional study.

Objective

This study aims to investigate the prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms and the associations between social support and anxiety/depressive symptoms amongst Chinese pregnant women with a history of recurrent miscarriage.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted in Guangzhou, China, between September 2016 and May 2017 with 278 Chinese pregnant women with a history of recurrent miscarriage. Measures included the Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS).

Results

The occurrence of anxiety (SAS ≥ 50) and depressive symptoms (EPDS ≥ 13) were 45.0% and 37.0%, respectively. The women reported moderate level of social support. The low and moderate level of social support and education of high school or below were the predictors for anxiety and depressive symptoms. The other predictors for anxiety symptoms were having been married for ≥5 years and no child. Another predictor for depressive symptoms was aged ≥35 years. Anxiety predicted depressive symptoms.

Conclusion

The results suggest early routine screening for anxiety and depressive symptoms amongst the Chinese pregnant women with a history of recurrent miscarriage. Health-care professionals should give more effort to enhance these women's social support to decrease their anxiety and depressive symptoms.