Women of Color’s Experiences of Gendered Racism and Depressive and Anxiety Symptoms in Pregnancy: The Mediating Role of Social Support

Background: Gendered racism (unique discrimination targeting intersecting racial/ethnic and gender identities) is associated with pregnancy-specific stress among Black and Latina American Women. Gendered racism’s associations with perinatal mental health are not understood, despite perinatal mental health’s impact on maternal and infant outcomes. Social support boosts mental health and may buffer against discrimination, yet gendered racism may diminish support. We examined gendered racism’s associations with perinatal anxiety and depressive symptoms, and whether social support moderates and/or mediates these associations. Methods: The analytic sample included 130 pregnant U.S. adult women drawn from an online survey (M_age=26.42; 8% Black, 9% Latina, 13% Multiracial including Black and/or Latina, 61% white, 9% other). Bivariate analyses explored racial/ethnic group differences. Regression, moderation, and mediation analyses tested associations among gendered racism, overall and sub-types of social support (appraisal, belonging, tangible), and depressive and anxiety symptoms. Results: Black, Latina, and Multiracial (including Black and/or Latina) Women experienced greater gendered racism and lower social support than other Women. In adjusted models, gendered racism was not directly associated with anxiety or depressive symptoms nor did social support moderate their relationships. However, there were positive indirect associations of gendered racism with anxiety and depressive symptoms through social support. Appraisal support mediated the relationship between gendered racism and anxiety symptoms, while belonging support mediated the relationship between gendered racism and depressive symptoms. Conclusions: Gendered racism poses mental health risks for pregnant Women of Color through reduced social support. Interventions need to address gendered racism and social support to promote pregnant Women of Color’s well-being.