Examining the role of socioeconomic adversity on depressive symptoms during pregnancy among non-Hispanic Black women
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: There is an increasing need for mental health care among the greater population of the United States, a need which is patterned by preexisting social, demographic and economic injustices. The experience of depressive episodes occurring over the course of pregnancy follows these patterns, and yet remains an understudied area of research. Despite this, the experience of depression is estimated to affect at least between 10 % and 20 % of pregnant people in the United States, with higher estimates for people of color and those living in poverty (Le Strat et al., 2011; Mukherjee et al., 2016; Van Niel and Payne, 2020). Depression represents a collection of symptoms, including hopelessness, despair, empty moods, irritation, lack of concentration, loss of appetite, sleep disturbances, and suicidal ideation (Jahan et al., 2021). These symptoms often lead to a negative impact on an individual’s ability to perform day-to-day activities and functions. Symptoms common with depression, such as sleep and energy disturbances, may be attributed to pregnancy alone, leading to underdiagnosis during this part of the life course (Marcus, 2009). For birthing parents, prenatal depression has been associated with inadequate weight gain, under-utilization of prenatal care, and increased substance use (Marcus, 2009). There is additional evidence that depression during pregnancy increases the risk for the child, with its association to preterm birth, growth restriction, and low head circumference (Ghimire et al., 2021; Li et al., 2020; Marcus, 2009; Van Niel and Payne, 2020). Untreated depression may also increase the risk of impaired social, cognitive, and emotional development of the child (Van Niel and Payne, 2020). Studying depressive symptoms during pregnancy is crucial for the well-being of the birthing parents, particularly among marginalized groups facing multiple, intersecting structural barriers to care (Goodman, 2020; Gotlib et al., 2020; Martin et al., 2024).
Source: SSM - Mental Health
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,540
Funders: National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Center for the Study of the American South, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
OpenAlex ID: W4410332140