Hsu CY, Chen CL, Tsai LY, Tsai JM. Pregnancy-Related Stress Among Pregnant Women Receiving Tocolytic and Non-Tocolytic Treatments Where Both Used Complementary Medicine.
Front Pharmacol 2022;
13:870659. [PMID:
35721134 PMCID:
PMC9201384 DOI:
10.3389/fphar.2022.870659]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to compare the pregnancy stress among pregnant women in receiving tocolytic and non-tocolytic treatments where both used complementary medicine.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 35 pregnant women receiving tocolytic treatment and 35 receiving non-tocolytic treatment, where both used complementary medicine in a medical center in central Taiwan. A basic information questionnaire that contained demographic variables and types of complementary medicine used and the Pregnancy Stress Rating Scale were used for the analysis.
Results: The types of complementary medicines were surveyed using the multiple-choice questionnaire. Natural products (77.5%) were most commonly used by pregnant women receiving tocolytic treatment, followed by alternative medicine (13.75%), manipulative and body-based practices (5%), and mind and body medicine (3.75%). In pregnant women who were receiving non-tocolytic treatment, natural products (59.1%) were most commonly used, followed by manipulative and body-based practices (16.4%), alternative medicine (15.4%), mind and body medicine (7.3%), and energy therapy (1.8%). According to the analysis of covariance test results, while both used complementary medicine in groups, pregnant women receiving tocolytic treatment were less stressed than those who were receiving non-tocolytic treatment (Pregnancy Stress Rating Scale score, p = 0.038), especially in dimension 2 (stress caused by infant care and changes in family relationships) (p = 0.015) and dimension 5 (stress caused by changes in physical appearance and function) (p = 0.008), which showed statistically significant differences (p < 0.05). Linear regression analysis results showed that the gestational age significantly associated with pregnancy stress (Pregnancy Stress Rating Scale score, p = 0.029; dimension 2, p = 0.016; and dimension 5, p = 0.001).
Conclusion: Among both who used complementary medicine, pregnancy stress was significantly lower in pregnant women who were receiving tocolytic treatment than in those who were receiving non-tocolytic treatment. This finding can be used as a reference for future pregnant women’s health studies.
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