Relationship between mental health status of pregnant women and low birth weight neonates

ObjectiveTo describe mental health status in pregnant women and to estinate whether there is an association between psychosocial stress and low birthweight.MethodsA voluntary sample of 1 519 pregnant women who had the forcoming birth in a hospital in Hefei was selected.Their social demography and mental health infounanon were assessed by a questionnaire survey and were compared between women who delivered low birth weight neonates and women who deliverect nounal birth weight neonates.Chi square test relative risks and 95% confidence intervals were calculated by means of non-conditional Logistic regression.ResultsLow birth weight rates were different in different maternal registered peonanent residence, age and educational degree, and the differences were of significance(P<0.05 for all comparisons).There was no significant association between maternal anxiety and a low birth weight delivery, and the analysis of maternal depression, trait coping style, social support yielded the same results(P>0.05 for all comparisons).After adjusting formaternal social demogmphy and complicated disease factors, modemte or severe life events(odds ratio=3.619, 95% confidence interval: 1.863-7.028) was significantly associated with low birth weight delivery(P=0.000).ConclusionThis study provides evidence thatmoderate or severe psychosocial stress in pregnantwomenmay have adverse effect on fetal growth.