Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

BACKGROUND: Perinatal anxiety is associated with adverse outcomes for women and their infants. Women in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) may be at higher risk of perinatal anxiety. We aimed to systematically review and synthesise the evidence on prevalence of perinatal anxiety in LMIC. METHOD: We searched MEDLINE, Embase, PscyhINFO, Global Health and Web of Science to identify studies assessing prevalence of perinatal anxiety in LMIC. Studies published since January 2016 were included. Screening and data extraction was conducted independently by two reviewers. Pooled prevalence estimates were calculated using random-effect meta-analyses and sources of heterogeneity explored through subgroup analyses and meta-regression. RESULTS: We screened 9494 titles and abstracts, reviewed 700 full-texts and included 54 studies in the systematic review and meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of self-reported anxiety symptoms was 29.2% (95%CI 24.5-34.2; I2 98.7%; 36 studies; n = 28,755) antenatally and 24.4% (95%CI 16.2-33.7; I2 98.5%; 15 studies; n = 6370) postnatally. The prevalence of clinically-diagnosed anxiety disorder was 8.1% (95%CI 4.4-12.8; I2 88.1% 5 studies; n = 1659) antenatally and 16.0% (95% CI 13.5-18.9; n = 113) postnatally. LIMITATIONS: Our search was limited to studies published since January 2016 in order to update a previous review on this topic. CONCLUSION: Perinatal anxiety represents a significant burden in LMIC, with one in four women experiencing symptoms during pregnancy or postpartum. Research remains lacking in a significant proportion of LMIC, particularly in the lowest income countries. Further research should guide application of screening tools in clinical settings to identify women with anxiety disorders in order to provide appropriate treatment.

Original publication

DOI

10.1016/j.jad.2022.03.032

Type

Journal article

Journal

J Affect Disord

Publication Date

01/06/2022

Volume

306

Pages

71 - 79

Keywords

Anxiety, Low- and middle-income country, Perinatal, Prevalence, Systematic review, Anxiety, Anxiety Disorders, Developing Countries, Female, Humans, Infant, Poverty, Pregnancy, Prevalence