Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Common mental health disorders (CMD) during pregnancy are a public health concern because of the implications for the mother and infant's health during pregnancy and after birth. The prevalence and factors related to common mental disorders vary globally. Therefore, this study assessed the magnitude and factors associated with common mental disorder among pregnant women attending ANC follow-up in North Wollo Zone, Northeast Ethiopia. METHODS: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted in North Wollo, Amhara Region, Northeast Ethiopia. A multistage sampling technique was used to select 777 study participants. The common mental disorder was assessed by using SRQ-20. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23. Logistic regression analysis was done to identify the independent variables associated with common mental disorders. Independent variables with a p value less than 0.05 were considered significantly associated with CMD. RESULTS: The magnitude of CMD was 18.1% (95% CI: 15.5, 21.0). Factors significantly associated with CMD were the educational level of participants (AOR = 0.17, 95% CI: 0.06, 0.48), husband's educational status (AOR = 11.13, 95%: 4.18, 29.66), unplanned pregnancy (AOR = 2.54, 95% CI: 1.26, 5.09), self-reported complication on the current pregnancy (AOR = 0.11, 95% CI: 0.05, 0.21), self-reported complication during the previous delivery (AOR = 3.38, 95% CI: 1.39, 8.18), undernutrition (AOR = 2.19, 95%: 1.26, 3.81), high psychosocial risk (AOR = 20.55, 95% CI: 9.69, 43.59), having a legal issue (AOR = 2.06, 95%: 1.12, 3.79), and relationship problem (AOR = 7.22, 95% CI: 3.59, 14.53). Conclusions and Recommendation. One in five pregnant women has common mental disorder. Educational status of the participants and their spouses, unplanned pregnancy, self-reported complication during current and previous pregnancy, psychosocial risk, and legal and relationship problems were the main determinants of common mental disorders. Therefore, screening pregnant women for mental disorders and provision of necessary mental health services are recommended to minimize the adverse health outcome of CMD during pregnancy.