Incident pregnancy and mental health among adolescent girls and young women in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

An observational cohort study

Dados Bibliográficos

ID13899226
AutoresHelen Mebrahtu (0000-0001-9664-5003, Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK), Natsayi Chimbindi (0000-0003-3125-978X, Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK), Thembelihle Zuma (0000-0002-8374-2354, Africa Health Research Institute, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa), Jaco Dreyer (0000-0002-9966-5744, Africa Health Research Institute, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa), Nondumiso Mthiyane (0000-0002-9881-7267, Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK), Janet Seeley (0000-0002-0583-5272, Africa Health Research Institute, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa), M Shahmanesh (0000-0001-7129-8535, Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK), Lorraine Sherr (0000-0002-5902-8011, Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK), Guy Harling (0000-0001-6604-491X, Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK, autor correspondente)
Ano2024
Volume29
Fascículo1
Data de publicação2024-06-30
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoInternational Journal of Adolescence and Youth (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0267-3843 • E-ISSN: 2164-4527
EditoraTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/02673843.2024.2371414
PMID39035705
OpenAlexW4400216471
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas1
Referências citadas47

Pregnancy can place adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) at risk of poor mental health. However, evidence linking youth pregnancy to mental health in resource-limited settings is limited, especially where HIV incidence is high. We analysed a population-representative cohort of AGYW aged 13-25 in rural KwaZulu-Natal to assess how adolescent pregnancy predicts subsequent mental health. Among 1851 respondents, incident pregnancy (self-reported past-12-month) rose from 0.7% at age 14 to 22.1% by 18. Probable common mental disorder (CMD; 14-item Shona Symptom Questionnaire) prevalence was 19.1%. In adjusted Poisson regression recent pregnancy was associated with slightly higher probable CMD (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] 1.19, 95%CI 0.96-1.49), and stronger association among 13-15 year-olds (aPR 3.25, 95%CI 1.50-7.03), but not with HIV serostatus. These findings suggest a possible incremental mental health impact of being pregnant earlier than peers, pointing to the need for age-appropriate mental health interventions for AGYW in resource-limited settings

Cohort · Cohort study · Environmental health · Mental health · Observational study · Obstetrics · Pregnancy · Psychiatry · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health · Child Abuse and Trauma · Demography · Homelessness and Social Issues · Medicine · Psychology · Pediatrics