Many studies of postpartum depression have been carried out. Fewer studies have focused on depression and anxiety during pregnancy and anxiety after childbirth. The main objective of this study was to investigate symptoms of anxiety and depression among pregnant women in Iceland during the pre and postnatal period.

560 pregnant women attending antenatal clinics at Primary Health Care Centres participated. These women were participants in a larger study on mental health during pregnancy and after birth in which use of psychoactive substances and psychosocial factors among pregnant women in Iceland are also studied and variables located that may predict postpartum depression. The purpose is also to investigate its relationship with the child's development at age five months and one, two and five years. Participants were screened three times during pregnancy and once after birth with the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS).

Results showed that anxiety is even a bigger problem during pregnancy than depression, but after childbirth more women suffer from depression than anxiety.

The findings indicate the need to focus not exclusively on depression when studying the mental health of pregnant women but to include also other mental disorder such as anxiety.