The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence
and factors influencing antenatal depression, anxiety and stress
symptomatology. The study used a cross-sectional survey design
in a sample of 302 antenatal women across the trimesters
of pregnancy. The questionnaire collected demographic and
pregnancy data, included two measures of emotional distress;
the Edinburgh Depression Scale (EDS) and Depression Anxiety
Stress Scale (DASS-21), a measure of social support; the
Significant Others Scale (SOS), and an adapted measure of
distress from life events; the List of Threatening Experiences
(LTE). Seventeen per cent were identified as suffering from
depression symptomatology, 25% as having symptoms of anxiety
and 25% as having symptoms of stress. Analysis revealed that a
lack of support from a partner, mother, and an ‘other’ (typically a
sibling or friend) were significant predictors of symptomatology.
There were different predictive factors for antenatal women
with children and primiparous women. Information was also
obtained about antenatal women’s preferences for health-care
support with emotional distress. The need to widen the focus
from postnatal depression to perinatal mental health was
demonstrated. Interventions with an interpersonal focus may
prove particularly effective as lack of social support appears to
be a significant predictor of antenatal emotional distress.