In comparison with postnatal depressive symptoms, few studies considered antenatal depressive symptoms risk factors/correlates.

In a multidimensional work our aim was to explore the associations/predictive role of lifetime and current pregnancy variables for antenatal depressive symptoms.

Two hundred and thirty six women (M = 30.5; SD =4.02; variation = 19-41), at the third pregnancy trimester were interviewed with the DIGS/OPCRIT (to make lifetime/current depression diagnoses) and answered a booklet about sociodemographic variables, lifetime/current insomnia, current stress perception, perception of being an anxious person, gynecological variables, past health perception and pregnancy health problems, among others. They filled in the Profile of Mood States to assess anxious symptoms, Negative and Positive affect and the Postpartum Depression Screening Scale (PDSS) to assess antenatal depressive symptoms at pregnancy. Women with a depression diagnosis (DSM-IV/ICD-10, n =5) and on sleep medication at pregnancy were excluded from the analyses.

We found significant associations between antenatal depressive symptoms (PDSS total score), current job situation, perception of being an anxious person, lifetime history of depression (DSM-IV/ICD-10), past health perception, health problems at current pregnancy, stress perception at pregnancy, lifetime and current insomnia, anxious symptoms at pregnancy, Negative and Positive affect. In an hierarquical multiple regression past health perception, negative affect, positive affect and current insomnia were significant predictors of antenatal depressive symptoms.

Past health perception, negative affect (anxious and depressive symptoms) and insomnia at current pregnancy seem to be risk factors/correlates for the outcome. Positive affect seems to work as a protective correlate.