THE ROLE OF BODY IMAGE, SOCIAL SUPPORT AND ANTEPARTUM DEPRESSION AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN

The current study aim was to explore Body Image, Social Support, and Antepartum Depression among pregnant women. Current research seeks to identify key factors that can help mitigate the risk of depression in expectant mothers. The sample for the present study consisted of 200 pregnant women selected from different obstetrics clinics and hospitals in Faisalabad. A correlational research design and purposive sampling technique was employed to measure the study variables. The Body Shape Questionnaire (Evans & Dolan, 1993) was used to measure body image dissatisfaction, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (Zimet et al., 1988) used to evaluate perceived social support, and the Edinburgh Natal Depression Scale (Cox et al., 1987) was utilized to assess symptoms of depression. The findings suggest a significant positive relationship between body image and antepartum depression among pregnant women, indicating that higher body image dissatisfaction is associated with higher levels of antepartum depression. Moreover, a significant negative relationship was found between social support and antepartum depression. No significant differences were found between primigravida and multigravida women in terms of body image, social support, and antepartum depression. In conclusion, addressing body image concerns and enhancing social support are crucial for mitigating antepartum depression and improving the mental health and overall well-being of pregnant women. These findings have implications for healthcare providers to develop targeted interventions to improve the mental health and overall well-being of pregnant women. D.O.I. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.12788776