Depression and Anxiety Among Pregnant and Non-Pregnant Women in Bangladesh: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background and Aims: Depression and anxiety are common among women of reproductive age, yet nationally representative evidence comparing pregnant and non-pregnant women in Bangladesh remains limited. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and severity of depression and anxiety and examine their association with pregnancy status. Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed data from the 2022 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS), including 20,029 women aged 15-49 years, of whom 1181 were pregnant. Depression and anxiety were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7). Survey-weighted Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and hierarchical binary logistic regression analyses were performed to examine associations between pregnancy status and mental health outcomes. Adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were reported. Analyses were conducted using IBM SPSS Statistics version 27.0, with statistical significance set at Results: Mean depression scores were approximately similar between pregnant and non-pregnant women (3.40 Conclusion: Pregnancy was not associated with depression but was independently associated with increased odds of anxiety after adjustment. These findings highlight the importance of accounting for confounding factors and support the integration of routine mental health screening into maternal and reproductive health services. Further longitudinal research is needed to clarify causal relationships.