Trends in Perinatal Psychosocial Risk Factors and Perinatal Depressive Symptoms During the Past Decade in Chile

• In Event: Maternal health and child development during early infancy

Abstract

Introduction. Linking maternal health, lifestyle, and behaviour during pregnancy and the first postpartum year to infant health is at the core of prevention strategies on health systems globally. Currently, some studies suggest that mental health disorders in young women, particularly during the fertile years, might have increased during the last decade. If this is true, we might expect an increase rate of perinatal depression and their associated behavioural and emotional problems in the offspring. Here, I present trends in perinatal psychosocial risk factors and perinatal depressive symptoms during the past decade in Chile.
Method: Using a public health approach, I used publicly available data on 2.217.580 pregnant women who received care at the national health system in Chile. Aggregated data from all primary care centres within the 2009-2019 period were used to answer questions about a possible increase in perinatal depression during this period.
Results: During the period under study, the population at risk of perinatal depression ranged from 26.4% (2009) to 37.2% (2019), with the highest prevalence being 39.5% in 2011. The incidence of perinatal depression (> 11 EPDS) decreased from 14% (2009) to 7% in 2019.
Conclusion: The results provide no evidence about an increase in symptoms of perinatal depression. Interestingly, our findings show a reduction on positive screening cases. I discuss this may be associated with the introduction of a national screening program, which may have contributed to a reduction on perinatal depression symptoms in women receiving care from the National Health Service.

Authors

• Miguel Cordero, Universidad de Chile
  Presenting Author

• Soledad Coo Calcagni, Universidad del Desarrollo (UDD)
  Non-Presenting Author

• Matias Irarrazaval Dominguez, Ministry of Health of Chile
  Non-Presenting Author