Anxiety disorders among Nigerian women in late pregnancy: a controlled study

This study aimed to investigate the rate and type of anxiety disorders among Nigerian women in late pregnancy. Women in late pregnancy (n = 172) and a non-pregnant control group were assessed for DSM-IV anxiety disorders. The rate of any anxiety disorder in the pregnant women was 39.0% compared with 16.3% in the non-pregnant population (p < 0.001). Although all the anxiety disorders were more common, only the rate of social anxiety disorder was significantly higher among the pregnant than non-pregnant population. Correlates of anxiety disorder in the pregnant population include age less than 25 years (OR 4.62, 95% CI 2.39-8.92), primiparity (OR 3.90, 95% CI 2.00-7.59) and presence of medical conditions (OR 3.60, 95% CI 1.28-10.12). More research is needed in this field to ascertain the specific association between pregnancy and anxiety disorders.