Predictors of depressive symptoms and depression in women with previous pregnancy loss

Abstract

Objectives: Depressive symptoms are common in females after pregnancy loss. However, research on risk factors for developing a clinical depressive episode remains limited and with inconsistent findings. This study examined the association of demographic variables (like age), pregnancy-related factors (like number of miscarriages or stillbirths), clinical factors (like medical explanation for the pregnancy loss) and neuroticism (as a well-known risk factor for internalizing disorders) with a current major depressive episode and depression severity in 172 women with miscarriage or stillbirth within the previous year. Design: Case–control study. Methods: Measures included the semi-structured diagnostic interview DIPS, the State–Trait Anxiety-Depression Inventory (STADI), the Short Version of the Big-Five Inventory (BFI-K). To identify predictors of depression, linear and logistic regression analyses were conducted. Results: Lower medical support (p =.041), higher stress immediately after the pregnancy loss (p =.027) and higher neuroticism scores (p =.008) were significant predictors of a current major depressive episode in woman with pregnancy loss. Incoherent farewell (p =.043), a history of psychotherapy or psychiatric treatment in the last year (p =.016) and higher neuroticism scores (p