Abstract

Perinatal depression is a prevalent mental health issue that significantly impacts the well-being of women during pregnancy and the postpartum period. For successful preventative measures, it is essential to comprehend the complex elements like pregnancy stress and spirituality related to perinatal depression. Pregnancy stress represents a significant risk factor for the development of perinatal depression. At the same time, spirituality, according to existing research, can serve as a protective factor against pregnancy stress, thereby reducing the risk of perinatal depression. The present study examined pregnancy stress and spirituality predicts perinatal depression among 432 women drawn from the Enugu state. The participants have a mean age of 28.97 years. Data were collected using the Healthy Pregnancy Stress Scale, the Spiritual Valence Scale Immanuel and Perinatal Depression Inventory. The study design was cross-sectional, and results of the multiple hierarchical regression analysis showed that pregnancy stress (β =.31, t = 6.84, p