Hypomanic symptoms in early pregnancy: prevalence and associated factors

Given that the perinatal period is a time of increased risk for pregnant women to manifest mental health problems, the identification of antenatal hypomanic symptoms is particularly important. However, data on antenatal hypomanic symptoms is lacking. The present study was aimed at filling this resea...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Archives of women's mental health 2021-06, Vol.24 (3), p.463-471
Main Authors: Chan, Chui Yi, Lee, Antoinette Marie, Chung, Ka Fai, Koh, Yee Woen, Lam, Siu Keung, Lee, Chin Peng, Leung, Kwok Yin, Tang, Catherine So Kum
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anxiety
Bipolar disorder
Complications and side effects
Diagnosis
Health aspects
Hypomania
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Mental disorders
Multiple regression analysis
Original Article
Postpartum
Postpartum depression
Postpartum period
Pregnancy
Pregnant women
Psychiatry
Psychological aspects
Psychotherapy
Risk factors
Well being
Womens health
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Summary:Given that the perinatal period is a time of increased risk for pregnant women to manifest mental health problems, the identification of antenatal hypomanic symptoms is particularly important. However, data on antenatal hypomanic symptoms is lacking. The present study was aimed at filling this research gap by investigating the prevalence of hypomanic symptoms, including the “active-elated” and “irritable/risk-taking” sides of hypomanic symptoms at the first trimester, and examining their associations with anxiety and depressive symptoms at the following time points: the first trimester, the second trimester, and up to 6-week postpartum. A prospective longitudinal design with a quantitative approach was adopted. A consecutive sample of 229 pregnant Chinese women in Hong Kong was assessed. Hypomanic symptoms were assessed with the Hypomania Checklist-32 (HCL-32). Of the sample, 43.6% had elevated levels of hypomanic symptoms in the first trimester. Multiple regression analysis showed that after adjusting for potential confounding factors, irritable/risk-taking symptoms were independently associated with higher anxiety symptoms in the first and second trimesters and in the 6-week postpartum period. Primary healthcare practitioners should be made aware of antenatal hypomanic symptoms in pregnant women to facilitate early identification and intervention for anxiety and depression to improve the well-being of both mothers and infants.
ISSN:1434-1816
1435-1102
DOI:10.1007/s00737-020-01078-0