Characteristics of females and their partners
In this study, the mean gestational days of pregnant females was about 48 days (48.11 ± 12.03). Female participants were about 29 years old (29.22 ± 4.18), and their partners were around 31 years old (31.43 ± 4.57). Most of them were married (85.8%). On average, pregnant females had 14 years of education experience (14.96 ± 2.32), and their partners had about 15 years of education (15.19 ± 2.53). 3.6% of pregnant women and 47.9% of male partners were involved in tobacco consumption. Only four pregnant females had a history of depressive disorder (2.4%). Participants' clinical characteristics, including the perceived general family functioning, childhood traumatic experience, quality of life, and social support, were all shown in Table 1.
Table 1
Characteristics of females and their partners (N = 169 dyads)
Item | Pregnant women | Partners |
Age in years, mean (SD a) | 29.22 ± 4.18 | 31.43 ± 4.57 |
BMI b (kg/m2), mean (SD) | 21.63 ± 3.17 | 23.78 ± 3.37 |
Educational years, mean (SD) | 14.96 ± 2.32 | 15.19 ± 2.53 |
Married, n (%) | 145 (85.8%) | 145 (85.8%) |
Employed, n (%) | 121 (71.6%) | 167 (98.8%) |
History of drinking, n (%) | 9 (5.3%) | 91 (53.8%) |
History of smoking, n (%) | 6 (3.6%) | 81 (47.9%) |
Gestational days, mean (SD) | 48.11 ± 12.03 | - |
Any history of depressive disorder, n (%) | 4 (2.4%) | - |
Any history of anxiety disorder, n (%) | 1 (0.6%) | - |
FAD-GF c, mean (SD) | 1.76 ± 0.44 | 1.84 ± 0.38 |
CTQ-SF d, median (IQR e) | 40 (10) | - |
Q-LES-Q-SF f | 52.71 ± 7.58 | - |
SSRS g | | |
Total score, mean (SD) | 38.08 ± 6.04 | - |
Objective support | 10.57 ± 2.63 | - |
Subjective support | 19.44 ± 3.37 | - |
Utilization of support | 8.08 ± 1.81 | - |
a SD, Standard Deviation; b BMI, Body Mass Index; c FAD-GF, Family Assessment Device-General Functioning; d CTQ-SF, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-28 Item Short Form; e IQR, Interquartile Range; f Q-LES-Q-SF, Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire, Short Form; g SSRS, Social Support Rating Scale.
Anxious and depressive symptoms in females and their partners
As shown in Table 2, among pregnant women, 17.8% of them experienced clinically significant depressive symptoms (EPDS ≥ 10 points). Meanwhile, there were 12.4% of male partners experienced depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 ≥ 10 points). As the evaluation of the GAD-7 scale reported, 5.9% of pregnant females and 9.5% of partners had significant anxious symptoms (GAD-7 ≥ 10 points).
Table 2
Anxious and depressive symptoms in females and their partners
Item | | Pregnant women | Partners |
EPDS a | total score, median (IQR b) | 6 (5) | - |
| ≥ 10 points, n (%) | 30 (17.8%) | - |
PHQ-9 c | total score, median (IQR) | - | 4 (6) |
| ≥ 10 points, n (%) | - | 21 (12.4%) |
GAD-7 d | total score, median (IQR) | 3 (4) | 2 (6) |
| ≥ 10 points, n (%) | 10 (5.9%) | 16 (9.5%) |
a EPDS, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale; b IQR, Interquartile Range; c PHQ-9, Patient Health Questionnaire-9; d GAD-7, Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-Item.
Factors related to anxious and depressive symptoms and their effects
Factors related to mood symptoms in females and their partners are demonstrated in Table 3. As we can see in females, age in years was negatively correlated with scores of EPDS, and a history of depressive disorder was positively correlated to scores of GAD-7 (r coefficient = − 0.171 and 0.164, respectively; both Pr< 0.05). Meanwhile, scores of FAD-GF, Q-LES-Q-SF, and SSRS (total score, and subjective support) were all associated with scores of EPDS and GAD-7 (all Pr< 0.01) in female participants. In partners, their depressive symptoms were correlated with marital status, history of smoking, and scores of FAD-GF (r coefficient = − 0.176, 0.179, and 0.326, respectively; all Pr< 0.05). In addition, educational level and scores of FAD-GF were both related to their anxious symptoms (r coefficient = − 0.159 and 0.332, respectively; Pr< 0.05).
Table 3
Factors related to anxious and depressive symptoms in females and partners
Item | Pregnant women | | Partners |
EPDS e | GAD-7 f | | PHQ-9 g | GAD-7 |
Age in years c | −0.171* | −0.062 | | −0.064 | −0.078 |
BMI c, h | −0.054 | −0.086 | | −0.085 | −0.079 |
Educational years c | −0.112 | −0.065 | | −0.146 | −0.159* |
Married c | −0.090 | −0.071 | | −0.176* | −0.131 |
Employed c | 0.019 | 0.002 | | −0.036 | 0.004 |
History of drinking c | 0.057 | −0.028 | | 0.095 | 0.098 |
History of smoking c | 0.007 | 0.021 | | 0.179* | 0.090 |
Gestational days c | −0.052 | −0.101 | | - | - |
Any history of depressive disorder c | 0.102 | 0.164* | | - | - |
Any history of anxiety disorder c | 0.130 | 0.132 | | - | - |
FAD-GF d, I | 0.472*** | 0.411*** | | 0.326*** | 0.332*** |
CTQ-SF d, j | 0.146 | 0.131 | | - | - |
Q-LES-Q-SF d, k | −0.568*** | −0.488*** | | - | - |
SSRS d, l | | | | - | - |
Total score | −0.285*** | −0.211** | | - | - |
Objective support | −0.150 | −0.135 | | - | - |
Subjective support | −0.239** | −0.207** | | - | - |
Utilization of support | −0.247** | −0.118 | | - | - |
a Data are presented as r coefficients; b bold values indicate statistical significance; c Spearman correlation analysis; d Spearman partial correlation analysis; e EPDS, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale; f GAD-7, Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-Item; g PHQ-9, Patient Health Questionnaire-9; h BMI, body mass index; I FAD-GF, Family Assessment Device-General Functioning; j CTQ-SF, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-28 Item Short Form; k Q-LES-Q-SF, Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire, Short Form; l SSRS, Social Support Rating Scale. *Pr< 0.05; **Pr< 0.01; ***Pr< 0.001.
As Table 4 shown, we included the correlated factors previously mentioned in the logistic regression analysis model to evaluate the effects of these risk factors on depressive and anxious symptoms. Finally, scores of FAD-GF (OR = 5.461 and 14.759, respectively; both P < 0.05) and scores of Q-LES-Q-SF (OR = 0.830 and 0.715, respectively; both P < 0.01) were significant risk factors for females depressive and anxious symptoms.
Table 4
Effects of risk factors on anxious and depressive symptoms in females
Factor | Depressive symptoms (Yes / No) | | Anxious symptoms (Yes / No) |
Odds Ratio (95% CI b) | P value | | Odds Ratio (95% CI) | P value |
Age | 0.859 (0.743–0.994) | 0.041 | | - | - |
Any history of depressive disorder | - | - | | 2.414 (0.064–91.259) | 0.634 |
FAD-GF c | 5.461 (1.465–20.358) | 0.011 | | 14.759 (1.599-136.245) | 0.018 |
Q-LES-Q-SF d | 0.830 (0.755–0.912) | < 0.001 | | 0.715 (0.581–0.879) | 0.002 |
SSRS e | | | | | |
Total score | 0.922 (0.710–1.197) | 0.543 | | 1.141 (0.832–1.564) | 0.413 |
Subjective support | 1.213 (0.827–1.779) | 0.323 | | 0.749 (0.439–1.278) | 0.289 |
Utilization of support | 0.926 (0.587–1.462) | 0.742 | | - | - |
a Bold values indicate statistical significance; b CI, Confidence Interval; c FAD-GF, Family Assessment Device-General Functioning; d Q-LES-Q-SF, Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire, Short Form; e SSRS, Social Support Rating Scale.
As Table 5 shown, in partners, the smoking history was significantly related to the risk of depressive symptoms (OR = 4.906, 95%CI 1.547–15.558, P = 0.007), and scores of FAD-GF were associated with the risk of anxious symptoms (OR 6.885, 95%CI 1.582–29.973, P = 0.010).
Table 5
Effects of risk factors on anxious and depressive symptoms in partners
Factor | Depressive symptoms (Yes / No) | | Anxious symptoms (Yes / No) |
Odds Ratio (95% CI b) | P value | | Odds Ratio (95% CI) | P value |
Married | 0.488 (0.159–1.501) | 0.211 | | - | - |
History of smoking | 4.906 (1.547–15.558) | 0.007 | | - | - |
Education | - | - | | 0.917 (0.743–1.133) | 0.423 |
FAD-GF c | 3.095 (0.866–11.062) | 0.082 | | 6.885 (1.582–29.973) | 0.010 |
a Bold values indicate statistical significance; b CI, Confidence Interval; c FAD-GF, Family Assessment Device-General Functioning.