Are pregnancy planning and pregnancy timing associated with maternal psychiatric illness, psychological distress and support during pregnancy?

Background: Pregnancy planning and timing may be associated with psychiatric illness, psychological distress and support during pregnancy. Methods: We performed secondary analyses of aprospective cohort of 2654 pregnant women evaluating the impact of depression on preterm birth. We used multivariable logistic regression to test associations between pregnancy planning ("Was this pregnancy planned? Yes/No") and/or timing ("Do you think this is a good time for you to be pregnant?") with Composite International Diagnostic Interview generated psychiatric diagnoses and measures of psychological distress and support. Results: 37% and 13% of participants reported a unplanned or poorly timed pregnancy, respectively. Unplanned pregnancies were associated with a Major Depressive Episode(MDE)(adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.69, 95%CI 1.23-2.32) and the Cohen Perceived Stress Scale's (CPSS) highest quartile (aOR 1.74, 95% CI 1.40-2.16). Poorly timed pregnancies were associated with a MDE(aOR 3.47, 95%CI 2.46-4.91) and the CPSS's highest quartile(aOR 5.20, 95%CI 3.93-6.87). Poorly timed pregnancies were also associated with General Anxiety Disorder(GAD; aOR 1.60, 95% CI 1.07-2.40), and the modified Kendler Social Support Inventory's (MKSSI) lowest quartile(aOR 1.64, 95%CI 1.25-2.16). Psychiatric conditions were strongly associated with planned pregnancies that were subsequently deemed poorly timed (MDE=aOR 5.08, 95%CI 2.52-10.25; GAD=aOR 2.28, 95%CI 1.04-5.03); high CPSS=aOR 6.48, 95%CI 3.59-11.69; and low MKSSI=aOR 3.19, 95%CI 1.81-5.62. Limitations: Participant characteristics may limit generalizability of findings. Conclusions: Pregnancy timing was a stronger predictor of maternal psychiatric illness, psychological distress and low social support than pregnancy planning in our cohort. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.