Pregnant women must know the safe age for pregnancy because pregnant women who understand good information will be better prepared to avoid and face pregnancy problems that they may face. Physical and psychological changes occur during pregnancy due to changes in pregnancy hormones. One of the psychological changes is that pregnant women are at risk of experiencing depression during pregnancy. Symptoms of depression occur more often during pregnancy than during the postpartum period. The risk of depression increases significantly during pregnancy. Physical and psychological changes occur during pregnancy. depression is an abnormal mood state with the same meaning as unhappiness, sadness, and suffering.
What is the safe age to get pregnant?
20-35 is a safe age for mothers to get pregnant and give birth. Periods less than 20 years and more than 35 years impact feelings of anxiety and fear before giving birth. Pregnancies <20 years and  35 years have a high potential for giving birth to babies with congenital disabilities and are included in the high-risk pregnancy category.
Pregnant women under 20 years old are the group most vulnerable to experiencing pregnancy depression. At less than 20 years of age, pregnant women's reproductive and psychological organs are not 100% ready to undergo pregnancy and childbirth. First-time pregnant women under 20 years have a 3.16 times chance of experiencing pregnancy depression compared to first-time pregnant women aged 20-35.
Pregnancy at the age of more than 35 years is categorized as a high risk of congenital abnormalities and complications during pregnancy and childbirth. Pregnancy over 35 is often not the first experience for a woman and is often an unplanned event. Even though at this age, a woman is ready to accept the presence of a child and take on the responsibilities of being a mother, pregnancy after age 35 can cause anxiety and risks related to pregnancy depression.
What is the impact of depression on pregnancy?
Depression during pregnancy can harm the mother and fetus. The impact of depression during pregnancy on the fetus includes low birth weight (LBW), premature birth, poor APGAR scores, impaired fetal growth, and also affects the mental development of the fetus. Stress during pregnancy is one of the strongest influences on the mental health of children born later in life. Meanwhile, the impact on the mother is the risk of bacterial vaginosis during pregnancy and increased consumption of tobacco and drugs during pregnancy. In addition, it is estimated that 13 pregnant women with pregnancy-related depression will experience postnatal depression and parenting depression.
Therefore, pregnancy depression can be prevented through good planning, including getting pregnant at a safe age.
Reference
Calkins, K., and Devaskar, S.U. 2011. Fetal Origins of Adult Disease. Curr Probl Pediatr Adolesc Health Care. 41(6), 158-176. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4608552/
Hasanah, Z., Joewono, H.T., Muhdi, N. 2019. Risk Factors for Antenatal Depression in Jagir and Tanah Kali Kedinding Community Health Centres, Surabaya. Muhammadiyah Nursing Journal. 4(2). http://journal.um-surabaya.ac.id/index.php/JKM
