Maternal mental health during pregnancy

Depression is the most predominant of all childbearing mental illnesses and a leading cause of disability in women in reproductive age (O’Hara & Swain, 1996; Nobel, 2005). Previous research has shown that high levels of depression or anxiety in women during pregnancy double their children’s risk for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), conduct disorders, difficult temperament and behavioural problems later on (O'Connor, Heron, Golding, Beveridge & Glover, 2002). Prenatal depression and anxiety contribute an estimated 10-15% of the variance in these outcomes (Talge, Neal & Glover, 2007).