Clinical and socio-demographic characteristics associated with perinatal depression and human immunodeficiency virus

Abstract

Background: Perinatal depression is highly prevalent in South Africa. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a known risk factor for depression, affects a large proportion of South African women of reproductive age. Few studies have compared depressive symptoms and associated risk factors in HIV-positive and HIV-negative pregnant and postpartum women, despite both conditions being linked to adverse maternal and child outcomes.
Aim: To compare socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of HIV-positive and HIV-negative women in the perinatal period attending a maternal mental health clinic.
Setting: The maternal mental health clinic at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital in Soweto, Johannesburg.
Methods: A retrospective record review was conducted on 190 patients (HIV-positive: n = 40; HIV-negative: n = 150) seen at the clinic between January 2024 and April 2025. Data were extracted from the clinic’s REDCap database and analysed.
Results: The prevalence of significant depressive symptoms (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale [EPDS] score > 13) was 43.2% (n = 82), regardless of HIV status. High rates of unplanned pregnancies (78.1%, n = 145), substance use in pregnancy (19.5%, n = 37), and intimate partner violence (15.1%, n = 28) were observed regardless of HIV status. Poor social support was significantly more prevalent among HIV-positive women (p = 0.042).
Conclusion: Perinatal depressive symptoms were highly prevalent. Human immunodeficiency virus-positive women were more likely to report poor social support, a key risk factor for depressive symptoms. The findings of this study underscore the need for targeted psychosocial interventions.
Contribution: This study encourages further research to explore risk factors associated with perinatal depression, especially in HIV-positive women.