Background: Depression is a common mental disorder among perinatal women that can cause intense sadness, anxiety and prevent them from bonding with their child. Perinatal depression disorders in women living with human immune deficiency virus are associated with poor maternal and child outcomes and decrease the goals of prevention of mother-to-child transmission of human immune deficiency virus. Therefore, this study was aimed at exploring the magnitude of perinatal depression and its associated factors among women living with human immune deficiency virus in East Gojjam Zone Public Hospitals, Ethiopia, 2022.

Methods: Institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 399 women living with human immune deficiency virus who were selected consecutively from May 15-July 1, 2022, at East Gojjam Zone Public Hospitals. The data were collected through face-to-face interview and chart review. Edinburgh Perinatal Depression Scale was used to assess perinatal depression. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with perinatal depression. P-value less than 0.05 were taken to determine a statistical significance.

Results: The magnitude of perinatal depression among women living with human immune deficiency virus was 34.3% (95% CI: 29.6 - 39.4), of these 18.27% were pregnant and 16.03 % were postpartum. Intimate partner violence (AOR= 4.239 95% CI: 2.507, 7.168), Internalized AIDS stigma (AOR = 4.925 95% CI: 2.912, 9.560), Low social support (AOR=4.024 95% CI: 1.693, 9.560) and poor ART drug adherence (AOR=3.652 95% CI: 1.774, 7.519) were factors associated with perinatal depression.

Conclusion: One-third of perinatal women living with human immune deficiency virus were depressed. Enhanced social support, deep counseling on anti-retro viral therapy adherence and prevention of intimate partner violence are vital to reduce perinatal depression.