A comparative analysis of the prevalence of suicidal ideation among depressed and non-depressed pregnant women in rural Bangladesh

BackgroundMore than 300 million people all over the world succumbed to depressive disorders in 2015. 680 per 100,000 expectant mothers worldwide bear suicidal ideation during the antenatal period. Despite suicidal ideation being a consequence of antenatal depression, there is a scarcity of information on the prevalence of suicidal ideation in depressed and non-depressed pregnant women in rural Bangladesh. ObjectiveThis study is directed to evaluate the point prevalence of suicidal ideation and compare the prevalence between depressed and non-depressed pregnant women in rural Bangladesh. MethodA cross-sectional study was performed in Lohagara, a rural subdistrict in Bangladesh between January 08 and 17, 2024. 351 pregnant women of various trimesters were recruited for the study. The Bengali-translated version of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and another structured questionnaire were used for data collection. Data analyses were done by STATA version 17. ResultThe point prevalence of suicidal ideation is 11.4% (95% CI: 8.5% to 15.2%). It reveals a similarity between depressed and non-depressed pregnant women. The prevalence of suicidal thoughts in antenatally depressed women accounts for 10.2% (95% CI: 6.1% to 16.6%) and in non-depressed pregnant women it is 12.2% (95% CI: 8.4% to 17.3%) -obtained after analysis. ConclusionThe considerable prevalence of suicidal thoughts among depressed and non-depressed rural pregnant women in Bangladesh underscores the necessity of ensuring additional counseling, care, and support to expectant mothers during their antepartum.