Depressive symptoms, social support, and family functioning among pregnant women with a history of recurrent pregnancy loss and their spouses: An analysis of the actor-partner interdependence mediation model.

BACKGROUND

Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) can be an extremely stressful experience for couples. Nevertheless, prior research has predominantly focused on pregnant women, and few studies have included spouses.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to explore the prevalence of depressive symptoms and the relationship between social support, family functioning, and depressive symptoms among pregnant women with a history of recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) and their spouses. It also seeks to identify whether family functioning mediates the relationship between depressive symptoms and social support.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted in Guangzhou, China, from January to September 2023. 205 pregnant women with a history of RPL and their spouses completed the Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS), Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS), and Family APGAR Index (APGAR). The actor-partner interdependence mediation model (APIMeM) was used to analyze the dyadic data.

RESULTS

The prevalence of depressive symptoms (SDS score ≥ 53) among the pregnant women with a history of RPL and among their spouses was 40.00% and 33.65%, respectively. Social support was directly and indirectly related to depressive symptoms in couples with a history of RPL, with family functioning acting as a mediator. Maternal family functioning mediated the relationship between paternal social support and maternal depressive symptoms (β = -0.09, 95%CI [-0.167, -0.040]).

CONCLUSION

Pregnant women with a history of RPL and their spouses should be viewed as a whole system to be screened for depressive symptoms, and couple-centered interventions to enhance social support and family functioning may help in alleviating their depressive symptoms.