Prevalence of perinatal anxiety in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Perinatal anxiety is associated with adverse outcomes for women and their infants. Women in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) may be at higher risk of perinatal anxiety. We aimed to systematically review and synthesise the evidence on prevalence of perinatal anxiety in LMIC. METHOD: We searched MEDLINE, Embase, PscyhINFO, Global Health and Web of Science to identify studies assessing prevalence of perinatal anxiety in LMIC. Studies published since January 2016 were included. Screening and data extraction was conducted independently by two reviewers. Pooled prevalence estimates were calculated using random-effect meta-analyses and sources of heterogeneity explored through subgroup analyses and meta-regression. RESULTS: We screened 9494 titles and abstracts, reviewed 700 full-texts and included 54 studies in the systematic review and meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of self-reported anxiety symptoms was 29.2% (95%CI 24.5-34.2; I2 98.7%; 36 studies; n = 28,755) antenatally and 24.4% (95%CI 16.2-33.7; I2 98.5%; 15 studies; n = 6370) postnatally. The prevalence of clinically-diagnosed anxiety disorder was 8.1% (95%CI 4.4-12.8; I2 88.1% 5 studies; n = 1659) antenatally and 16.0% (95% CI 13.5-18.9; n = 113) postnatally. LIMITATIONS: Our search was limited to studies published since January 2016 in order to update a previous review on this topic. CONCLUSION: Perinatal anxiety represents a significant burden in LMIC, with one in four women experiencing symptoms during pregnancy or postpartum. Research remains lacking in a significant proportion of LMIC, particularly in the lowest income countries. Further research should guide application of screening tools in clinical settings to identify women with anxiety disorders in order to provide appropriate treatment

The Global Burden of Perinatal Common Mental Disorders and Substance Use Amongst Migrant Women:A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND: There are one billion migrants globally, of whom 82 million are forced migrants. Pregnant migrants face pre-migration stressors such as conflict, transit stressors including poverty, and post-migration stressors including navigating the immigration system; these stressors can make them vulnerable to mental illness. We aimed to assess the global prevalence of and risk factors for perinatal mental health disorders or substance use among women who are migrants. METHODS: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched OVID MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CENTRAL, Global Health, Scopus, and Web of Science for studies published from database inception until July 8, 2022. Cohort, cross-sectional, and interventional studies with prevalence data for any mental illness in pregnancy or the postnatal period (ie, up to a year after delivery) or substance use in pregnancy were included. The primary outcome was the prevalence of perinatal common mental health disorders among women who are migrants, globally. Data for study quality and risk factors were also extracted. A random-effects meta-analysis was used to calculate pooled prevalence estimates, when appropriate. Sensitivity analyses were conducted according to study quality, sample representativeness, and method of outcome assessment. Risk factor data were synthesised narratively. This study is registered with PROSPERO, CRD42021226291. FINDINGS: 18 650 studies were retrieved, of which 135 studies comprising data from 621 995 participants met the inclusion criteria. 123 (91%) of 135 studies were conducted in high-income host countries. Five (4%) of 135 studies were interventional, 40 (30%) were cohort, and 90 (66%) were cross-sectional. The most common regions of origin of participants were South America, the Middle East, and north Africa. Only 26 studies presented disaggregated data for forced migrants or economic migrants. The pooled prevalence of perinatal depressive disorders was 24·2% (range 0·5-95·5%; I2 98·8%; τ2 0·01) among all women who are migrants, 32·5% (1·5-81·6; 98·7%; 0·01) among forced migrants, and 13·7% (4·7-35·1; 91·5%; 0·01) among economic migrants (p<0·001). The pooled prevalence of perinatal anxiety disorders was 19·6% (range 1·2-53·1; I2 96·8%; τ2 0·01) among all migrants. The pooled prevalence of perinatal post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among all migrant women was 8·9% (range 3·2-33·3; I2 97·4%; τ2 0·18). The pooled prevalence of perinatal PTSD among forced migrants was 17·1% (range 6·5-44·3; I2 96·6%; τ2 0·32). Key risk factors for perinatal depression were being a recently arrived immigrant (ie, approximately within the past year), having poor social support, and having a poor relationship with one's partner. INTERPRETATION: One in four women who are migrants and who are pregnant or post partum experience perinatal depression, one in five perinatal anxiety, and one in 11 perinatal PTSD. The burden of perinatal mental illness appears higher among women who are forced migrants compared with women who are economic migrants. To our knowledge, we have provided the first pooled estimate of perinatal depression and PTSD among women who are forced migrants. Interpreting the prevalence estimate should be observed with caution due to the very wide range found within the included studies. Additionally, 66% of studies were cross-sectional representing low quality evidence. These findings highlight the need for community-based routine perinatal mental health screening for migrant communities, and access to interventions that are culturally sensitive, particularly for forced migrants who might experience a higher burden of disease than economic migrants. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research (NIHR); March of Dimes European Preterm Birth Research Centre, Imperial College; Imperial College NIHR Biomedical Research Centre; and Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford

Validated tools to identify common mental disorders in the perinatal period: A systematic review of systematic reviews.

BACKGROUND: Uncertainty remains regarding the validity of screening tools to detect common mental disorders (CMDs) during perinatal periods. This umbrella review aims to provide an up-to-date summary of psychometric properties of tools for the identification of perinatal CMDs. METHODS: Reviews were identified via Ovid MEDLINE, PsychINFO, EMBASE, Global Health and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews electronic databases with no date or language restriction. Pooled sensitivity and specificity estimates and ranges were extracted and summarised using forest plots. Quality assessment was conducted using Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR-2). RESULTS: Of 7,891 papers identified, 31 reviews met inclusion criteria. 76 screening tools were identified; most frequently validated were Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) (n = 28 reviews), Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI) (n = 13 reviews) and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) (n = 12 reviews). Forest plots demonstrated a pattern of decreasing sensitivity and increasing specificity with increasing cut-off scores. Sub-group analysis of data extracted from low quality reviews demonstrated wider 95% CIs and overall lower specificity. Validity also varied according to ethnicity, socio-economic background and age. LIMITATIONS: Despite a low Covered Corrected Area (CCA) score the primary studies included within reviews overlapped; therefore we were unable perform meta-analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The evidence suggests that the EPDS, PHQ and BDI are useful across a range of diverse settings but the context of tool application is a key factor determining validity. This review highlights that utilizing screening tools in clinical practice is complex and requires careful consideration of the population, context, and health system it will be used in

Interventions to improve perinatal outcomes among migrant women in high-income countries: a systematic review protocol

INTRODUCTION: Women who are migrants and who are pregnant or postpartum are at high risk of poorer perinatal outcomes compared with host country populations due to experiencing numerous additional stressors including social exclusion and language barriers. High-income countries (HICs) host many migrants, including forced migrants who may face additional challenges in the peripartum period. Although HICs' maternity care systems are often well developed, they are not routinely tailored to the needs of migrant women. The primary objective will be to determine what interventions exist to improve perinatal outcomes for migrant women in HICs. The secondary objective will be to explore the effectiveness of these interventions by exploring the impact on perinatal outcomes. The main outcomes of interest will be rates of preterm birth, birth weight, and number of antenatal or postnatal appointments attended. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This protocol follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Protocols guidelines. EMBASE, EMCARE, MEDLINE and PsycINFO, CENTRAL, Scopus, CINAHL Plus, and Web of Science, as well as grey literature sources will be searched from inception up to December 2022. We will include randomised controlled trials, quasi-experimental and interventional studies of interventions, which aim to improve perinatal outcomes in any HIC. There will be no language restrictions. We will exclude studies presenting only qualitative outcomes and those including mixed populations of migrant and non-migrant women. Screening and data extraction will be completed by two independent reviewers and risk of bias will be assessed using the Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies. If a collection of suitably comparable outcomes is retrieved, we will perform meta-analysis applying a random effects model. Presentation of results will comply with guidelines in the Cochrane Handbook of Systematic Reviews of Interventions and the PRISMA statement. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval is not required. Results will be submitted for peer-reviewed publication and presented at national and international conferences. The findings will inform the work of the Lancet Migration European Hub. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42022380678

Health impacts of parental migration on left-behind children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Globally, a growing number of children and adolescents are left behind when parents migrate. We investigated the effect of parental migration on the health of left behind-children and adolescents in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). METHODS: For this systematic review and meta-analysis we searched MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, PsychINFO, Global Index Medicus, Scopus, and Popline from inception to April 27, 2017, without language restrictions, for observational studies investigating the effects of parental migration on nutrition, mental health, unintentional injuries, infectious disease, substance use, unprotected sex, early pregnancy, and abuse in left-behind children (aged 0-19 years) in LMICs. We excluded studies in which less than 50% of participants were aged 0-19 years, the mean or median age of participants was more than 19 years, fewer than 50% of parents had migrated for more than 6 months, or the mean or median duration of migration was less than 6 months. We screened studies using systematic review software and extracted summary estimates from published reports independently. The main outcomes were risk and prevalence of health outcomes, including nutrition (stunting, wasting, underweight, overweight and obesity, low birthweight, and anaemia), mental health (depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, conduct disorders, self-harm, and suicide), unintentional injuries, substance use, abuse, and infectious disease. We calculated pooled risk ratios (RRs) and standardised mean differences (SMDs) using random-effects models. This study is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42017064871. FINDINGS: Our search identified 10 284 records, of which 111 studies were included for analysis, including a total of 264 967 children (n=106 167 left-behind children and adolescents; n=158 800 children and adolescents of non-migrant parents). 91 studies were done in China and focused on effects of internal labour migration. Compared with children of non-migrants, left-behind children had increased risk of depression and higher depression scores (RR 1·52 [95% CI 1·27-1·82]; SMD 0·16 [0·10-0·21]), anxiety (RR 1·85 [1·36-2·53]; SMD 0·18 [0·11-0·26]), suicidal ideation (RR 1·70 [1·28-2·26]), conduct disorder (SMD 0·16 [0·04-0·28]), substance use (RR 1·24 [1·00-1·52]), wasting (RR 1·13 [1·02-1·24]) and stunting (RR 1·12 [1·00-1·26]). No differences were identified between left-behind children and children of non-migrants for other nutrition outcomes, unintentional injury, abuse, or diarrhoea. No studies reported outcomes for other infectious diseases, self-harm, unprotected sex, or early pregnancy. Study quality varied across the included studies, with 43% of studies at high or unclear risk of bias across five or more domains. INTERPRETATION: Parental migration is detrimental to the health of left-behind children and adolescents, with no evidence of any benefit. Policy makers and health-care professionals need to take action to improve the health of these young people. FUNDING: Wellcome Trust

Perinatal depression in refugee and labour migrant women on the Thai-Myanmar border: prevalence, risk factors and experiences

Background: Perinatal depression is a significant contributor to maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Left untreated, perinatal depression has severe and far-reaching consequences for women, their families and wider society. Migrant women, including labour migrants and refugees, may be particularly prone to developing perinatal depression as a result of multiple stressors associated with displacement. Despite the vast majority of global migration flows occurring within low- and middle-income countries, evidence from these regions is severely lacking. This research addresses this imbalance by examining perinatal depression in migrant women living on the Thai-Myanmar border: a resource-poor setting of political tension and socio-economic disadvantage. Aims: This research aims to review the existing evidence around perinatal depression among migrant women from low- and middle-income settings; identify an appropriate tool to detect perinatal depression in migrant women on the Thai-Myanmar border; determine the prevalence of, and risk factors for, perinatal depression in this setting; explore women's experiences of perinatal depression; and develop recommendations for policy and practice. Methods: A sequential-exploratory mixed-methods design was used. The research included the following five study components: a systematic literature review; a validation study to identify a culturally-acceptable and appropriate assessment tool; a prospective cohort study of migrant women on the Thai-Myanmar border followed-up from the first trimester of pregnancy to one month post-partum; in-depth interviews with a subgroup of women with severe perinatal depression; and an informal exploration of stakeholder views. Findings: The systematic review found a wide range in prevalence of perinatal depression among migrant women and confirmed the absence of studies conducted in low-and middle-income destination countries. A total of 568 migrant women on the Thai-Myanmar border participated in the prospective cohort study, of whom 18.5% experienced moderate-severe depression and 39.8% experienced depression of any severity during the perinatal period. Almost a third (29%) of women reported suicidal ideation. Interpersonal violence (OR 4.5), experience of trauma (OR 2.4), a self-reported history of depression (OR 2.3) and perceived insufficiency of social support (OR 2.1) were significantly associated with perinatal depression. Lives of women with severe perinatal depression were characterised by difficult partner relationships, alcohol use among partners and interpersonal violence. A lack of mental health services currently limits the effective management of perinatal depression in this setting. Alongside training of health staff, primary, secondary and tertiary prevention efforts are required to effectively address perinatal depression on the Thai-Myanmar border.</p

Perinatal depression in refugee and labour migrant women on the Thai-Myanmar border: prevalence, risk factors and experiences

Background: Perinatal depression is a significant contributor to maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Left untreated, perinatal depression has severe and far-reaching consequences for women, their families and wider society. Migrant women, including labour migrants and refugees, may be particularly prone to developing perinatal depression as a result of multiple stressors associated with displacement. Despite the vast majority of global migration flows occurring within low- and middle-income countries, evidence from these regions is severely lacking. This research addresses this imbalance by examining perinatal depression in migrant women living on the Thai-Myanmar border: a resource-poor setting of political tension and socio-economic disadvantage. Aims: This research aims to review the existing evidence around perinatal depression among migrant women from low- and middle-income settings; identify an appropriate tool to detect perinatal depression in migrant women on the Thai-Myanmar border; determine the prevalence of, and risk factors for, perinatal depression in this setting; explore women's experiences of perinatal depression; and develop recommendations for policy and practice. Methods: A sequential-exploratory mixed-methods design was used. The research included the following five study components: a systematic literature review; a validation study to identify a culturally-acceptable and appropriate assessment tool; a prospective cohort study of migrant women on the Thai-Myanmar border followed-up from the first trimester of pregnancy to one month post-partum; in-depth interviews with a subgroup of women with severe perinatal depression; and an informal exploration of stakeholder views. Findings: The systematic review found a wide range in prevalence of perinatal depression among migrant women and confirmed the absence of studies conducted in low-and middle-income destination countries. A total of 568 migrant women on the Thai-Myanmar border participated in the prospective cohort study, of whom 18.5% experienced moderate-severe depression and 39.8% experienced depression of any severity during the perinatal period. Almost a third (29%) of women reported suicidal ideation. Interpersonal violence (OR 4.5), experience of trauma (OR 2.4), a self-reported history of depression (OR 2.3) and perceived insufficiency of social support (OR 2.1) were significantly associated with perinatal depression. Lives of women with severe perinatal depression were characterised by difficult partner relationships, alcohol use among partners and interpersonal violence. A lack of mental health services currently limits the effective management of perinatal depression in this setting. Alongside training of health staff, primary, secondary and tertiary prevention efforts are required to effectively address perinatal depression on the Thai-Myanmar border.</p