Prevalence and factors associated with maternal psychological distress, among pregnant women attending antenatal care at Muhimbili national hospital

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background: Pregnancy represents a period of great transition in women, taking into account numerous physiological, emotional, and social changes. Maternal psychological distress indicates an early sign of potential challenges in mental health, affecting approximately 10-20% of women during this critical period. In Tanzania, there is a gap in our understanding of the extent of the burden, and underlying factors contributing to maternal psychological distress during pregnancy. Gaining a deeper understanding of maternal psychological distress during this crucial period is essential, to shed light on the scope of maternal mental health within clinical settings during antenatal care. Broad Objective: The study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with maternal psychological distress among pregnant women receiving antenatal care at Muhimbili National Hospital. Methodology: This was a hospital-based cross-sectional study conducted in a sample of 287 pregnant women who were attending antenatal care at Muhimbili National Hospital. A probability random sampling technique was used to recruit study participants. Data were collected using a structured social demographic and clinical questionnaire; the Oslo Social Support Scale (OSSS-3) was used to assess social support and the Conflict Tactic Scale (CTS) for assessment of intimate partner violence. The outcome of maternal psychological distress, was measured by, the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10). Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 23.0, employing descriptive statistics, and an association between variables was analyzed with bi-variate and multivariate logistic regression. A statistical significance declared at p value< 0.05 with a 95% confidence interval Results: The prevalence of maternal psychological distress was found to be 32.1%. Risk of maternal psychological distress in young adult mothers below 24years of age was three times higher as compared to those with mature age (AOR = 3.8, 95% CI, 1.05, 13.75; p, 0.04), those reported poor perceived levels of social support were seven times more likely to experience maternal psychological distress compared to those with strong social support (AOR = 7.37, 95%CI, 2.9, 18.6; p, 0.00). vi Conclusion: These findings indicated that maternal psychological distress is common particularly within the context of antenatal care settings, with decreasing age and poor social support being significant risk factors. Incorporating mental health services within routinely antenatal care will facilitate awareness, provide opportunities for early assessment and timely interventions, thus promoting better maternal and child health outcomes.