Relation between Passive Smoking and Depression among Pregnant Women Attending Primary Health Care Centers in Al-Madinah, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Introduction: Depression during pregnancy is linked to several negative effects on the mother and fetus. Several factors, including passive smoking exposure, were implicated in its risk. Little is known about this issue in Saudi literature. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of depression in pregnant women and to investigate its association with passive smoking exposure during pregnancy.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in 8 primary health care centers in Madinah City, Saudi Arabia during the year 2018. The study analyzed data from 261 pregnant women attending the antenatal clinics at the studied centers. The data collection was based on a self-administered questionnaire including socio-demographic and reproductive data, passive smoking exposure status, and data assessing depression symptoms. Appropriate statistical analyses were done including logistic regression analysis.
Results: The overall prevalence of depression symptoms was 54.79 (95% CI= 48.5-60.9), and it varied by the studied women's characteristics. The low prevalence of depression was found among older, highly educated, and housewife women, and among women receiving husbands' emotional support. Passive smoking exposure among the studied women was 26.05% (95% CI= 20.8-31.8%), and the risk of depression was increased among women who reported passive smoking exposure outside the home in the non-adjusted regression model (OR= 1.75; 95% CI= 1.02-2.99). This significant association, however, disappeared in the adjusted model (OR= 1.5; 95% CI= 0.35-6.10).

Conclusions: A weak positive association between passive smoking exposure and the risk of depression was found. Young, low educated, and unemployed women as well as those who reported partner violence, previous pregnancy complications, and unplanned or unwanted pregnancy were at risk of depression.