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Poor mental health through pregnancy may increase women’s risk for C-section: Researchers

Doctor Examines a Pregnant Woman

*Health experts found that depression and anxiety may impact how women deliver their babies

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

Researchers from Michigan Medicine in a new study explored how women’s mental health during pregnancy can impact their delivery.

According to the study findings, spikes in depression and anxiety while pregnant may increase the risk for Cesarean sections (C-section) deliveries.

Dr. Vanessa Dalton, one of the researchers, said: “Our findings reinforce the importance of better identifying and treating perinatal depression and anxiety disorders in pregnant women.

“It’s critical to better understand how these mood disorders increase the likelihood of cesarean section deliveries, which we know have both short- and long-term health consequences for both expecting moms and their babies.”

Reagrding how mental health impacts delivery for the study, the experts analysed data from more than 360,000 women who gave birth between 2008 and 2017.

The team was primarily interested in evaluating how the women delivered their babies ─ naturally or via C-section ─ and their mental health status during pregnancy.

The researchers found a clear link between depression and anxiety and an increased risk of C-section deliveries, agency report stated.

Women struggling with their mental health during pregnancy were 3.5 percent more likely to deliver via C-section.

Dr. Dalton further explained: “Cesarean sections are a major contributing factor to maternal morbidity events after a delivery with many adverse effects downstream,” said “We need to understand all factors that may increase a woman’s chance of a C-section delivery so we can avoid unnecessary risks.”

The study also indicated several factors that could increase women’s risk of depression or anxiety during pregnancy, including socioeconomic status, age, and race; women from low-income backgrounds, older women, and white women were all more likely to struggle with depression and anxiety.

“We need more research to clarify the relationship between perinatal mood and anxiety disorders and primary cesarean section rates to enhance our understanding of the consequences of these disorders for health outcomes.

“This could potentially inform efforts to develop and evaluate effective treatments and policy interventions,” said Dr. Dalton.

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