Open Access Macedonian Journal of Medical Sciences. 2018 Nov 25; 6(11):2079-2083.
https://doi.org/10.3889/oamjms.2018.433
eISSN: 1857-9655
Clinical Science
1* 1 1 2
Slavica Arsova , Kadri Hadzhihamza , Stojan Bajraktarov , Viktor Isjanovski
1 2
University Clinic of Psychiatry, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia; JZU Psychiatric Hospital Skopje, Skopje, Republic of
Macedonia
Abstract
Citation: Arsova S, Hadzhihamza K, Bajraktarov S, BACKGROUND: Mother’s mental state during pregnancy is of substantial importance for the mother, but also for
Isjanovski V. Treatment of Depressive Conditions in
Pregnancy. Open Access Maced J Med Sci. 2018 Nov 25;
the infant and his/her future growth and development. Depressive maternal disorders during pregnancy have a
6(11):2079-2083. significant influence on the development of the baby during pregnancy as well as on the future development and
https://doi.org/10.3889/oamjms.2018.433 mother-baby relation, the breastfeeding process and care for the baby.
Keywords: Depression; Pregnancy
*Correspondence: Slavica Arsova. University Clinic of AIM: This study aimed to determine the influence of SSRI antidepressant therapy and psychosocial and
Psychiatry, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia. E-mail: therapeutic interventions on depression during pregnancy. It was also our aim to determine the relation between
arsova_s@yahoo.com
severity of depression and sociodemographic characteristics.
Received: 24-Aug-2018; Revised: 20-Oct-2018;
Accepted: 21-Oct-2018; Online first: 19-Nov-2018 METHODS: The study included 40 women, with diagnosis F32 and F33 according to ICD 10, that is, with severe
Copyright: © 2018 Slavica Arsova, Kadri Hadzhihamza, depressive disorder within depressive episodes or recurrent depressive disorder. Patients were evaluated at the
Stojan Bajraktarov, Viktor Isjanovski. This is an open-
access article distributed under the terms of the Creative beginning of the treatment and 3 months after antidepressant treatment. They were followed-up for two years.
Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
License (CC BY-NC 4.0) RESULTS: The results obtained have shown that a larger number of mothers treated with antidepressant
Funding: This research did not receive any financial medications, had normal childbirth with the unremarkable condition of both, the mother and the newborn baby.
support
Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no CONCLUSION: A well-combined treatment of maternal depression during pregnancy reduces the risk of
competing interests exist postpartum depression, which is by itself a prerequisite for normal emotional and behavioural development of the
child.
Open Access Maced J Med Sci. 2018 Nov 25; 6(11):2079-2083. 2079
Clinical Science
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40
38
HAM severe depression disorder was
36 registered in 86.4% (19) of patients with a university
34
32
degree, in 87.5% (14) of those with completed high
30 education and 33.3% (1) of patients with primary
28
education.
26
24 36
22 34
Mean
20 Mean±SE
Hama Hama/ 3 m Mean±1.96*SE 32
30
Figure 1: Average HAMA score, 0 days and after 3 months
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26
24
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The task of each therapist/medical expert is to In conclusion, the optimal combined treatment
make an individual assessment of the severity of of peripartum depression reduces the risk of
depression during pregnancy, the assessment of the postpartum depression, which is a prerequisite for
risk for the mother and the newborn infant regarding normal emotional and behavioural development of the
the eventual damage or benefit from antidepressant child.
medications [1] [2] [6] [7].
Majority of studies point out the differences in
psychiatric treatment applied in women with a higher
socioeconomic status compared to those with a lower References
one. Indicators show that women with a higher
socioeconomic status were more likely to see a
psychiatrist for depression during pregnancy and were 1. Venkataesh KK, Nadel H, Blewett D, Freeman MP, Kaimal AJ,
treated with SSRI antidepressant medications, Riley LE. Implementation of universal screening for depression
during pregnancy: feasibility and impact on obstetric care. Am J
whereas those with a lower socioeconomic status Obstet Gynecol. 2016; 215(4):517.e1-8.
were more likely to visit their family/general physicians https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2016.05.024 PMid:27210067
asking for help about their depression during 2. Hanley GE. Socioeconimic status and treatment of depression
pregnancy [2]. during pregnancy: a retrospective population – based cohort study
in British Columbia, Canada. Arch Womens Ment Health, 2018.
The results of one research conducted across
3. Anderson P. Untreated Depression in pregnancy Linked to Low
several European countries with different
Birth Weight. JAMA Psychiatry. 2016. Available from:
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