Risk of depression and anxiety in pregnant women in primary care

Abstract

Objective: To identify the risks for depression and anxiety in pregnant women in a Primary Health Care unit. Methods: Descriptive exploratory study with a quantitative approach carried out between February and April 2020 at a Health Unit in Olinda-PE (Brazil); the validated instrument "Babel Card" was used. Data analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciencies using the Chi-square test with Yates correction (significance of 5% - p≤0.05). Results: 71 pregnant women were analyzed, among which 32.3% reported having suffered psychological violence. Through the Babel Card, it was found that 49.3% of pregnant women were at high risk for the development of anxiety disorder (p-value: 0.004) and 29.5% had a moderate risk for depression (p-value: 0.004). Conclusion: Preventive initiatives for the occurrence of depression and anxiety during pregnancy, such as monitoring mental health and tracking it during the prenatal consultation are necessary.