Anxiety and depression in teenage mothers: a comparative study.

A cross-sectional design study was done at a non-private ward at Rajvithi Hospital from June to August 1995 to determine the prevalence of anxiety and depressive state in Thai teenage mothers (< or = 18 years old) compared with adult control mothers (20-35 years old). We found that 15 per cent of teenage mothers and 12 per cent of adult control mothers had anxiety state. Twenty-three per cent of teenage mothers and 11.9 per cent of adult control mothers had depressive state. There was a significantly higher prevalence rate of depression in teenage mothers compared to adult control mothers.