Prevalence of Antenatal Anxiety in European Women: A Literature Review

The presence of anxiety during pregnancy is associated with adverse consequences for both mothers and their babies. The aim of this study was to review the prevalence of anxiety in European pregnant women in order to find out which countries have published the most studies in respect to the presence of anxiety during pregnancy, which countries are the most and least prevalent in terms of anxiety within pregnant women, and which are the most common tools used to assess anxiety during this stage. As such, a literature review was conducted regarding the studies that were published in the last twenty years in the PsycInfo, Medline, and SCOPUS databases. Thirty-eight studies were selected for the purposes of this review. The prevalence of anxiety in pregnancy and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) varies considerably between studies. The European countries that have carried out the most research on this issue are Spain, Italy, and the United Kingdom. The most widely used assessment instrument is the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). The lowest prevalence rate of anxiety, using the STAI-E, was found in Poland, 7.7%, and the highest was found in Italy, 36.5%. The prevalence of GAD ranges from 0.3% to 10.8%. This indicates that anxiety in pregnant women is a very relevant mental health problem. It is therefore important to detect and intervene early in order to promote the well-being of both mothers and children.

The Effects of Depressive Symptoms on Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors During Pregnancy

Purpose: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of depressive symptoms on healthy lifestyle behaviors during pregnancy. Methods: This is a descriptive and cross-sectional study. The sample consisted of 314 pregnant women. Data collection tools were developed by the researchers by reviewing the literature. In the study, an Introductory Information Form, an Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, and the Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors Scale-II were used. Results: Results indicated that 19.1% of pregnant women were found to be at risk for depression (EPDS≥12). While the mean the HLBS II total scores of pregnant women were 136.83±24.11, the highest subscale was "Spiritual Development" with a mean score of 26.55±5.27, and the lowest subscale was "Physical Activity" with a mean score of 15.59±4.91. A negative and significant correlation was found between the EPDS and the SYBDS-II total scores and the mean scores of spiritual development, nutrition, physical activity, and stress management subscales (p

The relationship among preconception depression, anxiety, and social support of the reproductive-aged women in China

The reproductive-aged women have to face physiological and psychological challenges as long as they plan to conceive. However, most previous studies focused on depression and anxiety during pregnancy. This study aimed to investigate the association among preconception depression, anxiety, and social support of the Chinese reproductive-aged women. Nine-hundred five reproductive-aged women who planned to conceive for the first or second time in the next three months were recruited through the Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital and Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital from three provinces in China. Social Support Rating Scale, Self-Rating Depression Scale, and Self-Rating Anxiety Scale were used in this study. The hierarchical regression model was employed to examine the prediction effect of the three sub-dimensions of social support on preconception depression and anxiety. Of the reproductive-aged women, 25.86 and 13.04% had preconception depression and anxiety symptoms. Nearly all reproductive-aged women had moderate and high social support before pregnancy. The significant differences in depression and anxiety among different levels of occupation and monthly income were found. For depression and anxiety, objective support, support availability, and subjective support simultaneously entered into the model still could significantly explain 5.9 and 6.7% of variations after controlling for the demographic variables, respectively. According to this study, there were significant correlations among preconception depression, anxiety, and social support. And objective support, support availability, and subjective support could negatively predict preconception depression and anxiety. Attaching importance to the preconception mental health and social support can provide effective scientific support for helping women fully understand and effectively use the social resources, and scientifically prepare for pregnancy.

Factors Affecting Depression During Pregnancy and the Correlation Between Social Support and Pregnancy Depression

BACKGROUND

Women are seriously subjected to psychiatric diseases during pregnancy and depression is the most prevailing one among these diseases. There is a relation between the social support and depression in pregnancy whose predisposing factors are genetic, psychological, biological, environmental, and hormonal.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to determine the frequency of depression symptoms, and its risk factors. Also it studied the correlation between social support and pregnancy depression.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This research is a descriptive cross-sectional study. It was conducted on 266 pregnant women selected by simple random method from all pregnant women admitted at the Maternity Hospital of Trabzon, Turkey from May 21 to June 13, 2008. The data were collected with a questionnaire form, the Beck depression inventory (BDI), and the multidimensional scale of perceived social support (MSPSS).

RESULTS

The mean BDI score of the pregnant women was 11.12 ± 6.65. According to the BDI, 46.2% of the pregnant women had no depression symptoms, 34.59% of them had mild, 13.91% had moderate, and 4.89% had severe level of depression symptoms. It was found that such factors as the educational level of the pregnant women and their husbands, having an undesired pregnancy, suffering from a chronic disease before pregnancy, presence of pregnancy-related problems, having a child with disability or having relatives whose children had disability, and smoking during pregnancy were the risk factors affecting the severity of the depression symptoms and these results were statistically significant (P < 0.05). On the other hand, the mean MSPSS score was 67.89 ± 14.26 and it was found that the pregnant women got the highest social support from their husbands. It was found that there was a significant correlation between BDI and MSPSS total score and its subscale scores (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

According to this study, one-fifth of pregnant women were found to experience depressive symptoms, which require treatment during pregnancy, and the factors such as having no support from relatives was found to be associated with the severity of depressive symptoms during pregnancy.

The risk factors, consequences, treatment, and importance of gestational depression

Nowadays, mental problems have become an important health issue, the most frequent of which in pregnancy is depression. Gestational depression is known to increase gestational complications and negatively affect maternal and fetal health. The frequency of gestational depression and depressive symptoms are 10-30%. Risk factors vary according to genetic, psychologic, environmental, social, and biologic factors. Maternal morbidity and mortality rates increase in pregnant women who do not receive treatment, obstetric complications and negative fetal consequences are seen, and the incidence of postpartum depression increases. Due to all these important consequences, healthcare providers who manage pregnant women should be informed about the frequency, symptoms, and screening methods of postpartum depression, the significance of the consequences of undiagnosed and untreated depression on the health of mother and baby, and the importance of early diagnosis. Pregnant women who are at risk should be screened and detected, and directed to related centers. In this review, we briefly review the definition of gestational depression, its frequency, risk factors, complications, screening, treatments, and the procedures that need to be performed the diagnostic process.

Validity and reliability study of the Tilburg Pregnancy Distress Scale into Turkish

This study was conducted to adapt the Tilburg Pregnancy Distress Scale (TPDS) into Turkish and test its validity and reliability. The study was conducted in six Family Health Center regions in the province of Kars between 20 February and 10 April 2013. A total of 275 pregnant women, who met the study criteria and agreed to participate in the study, constituted the sample group of the study. For validity and reliability analysis of the scale, content validity analysis, explanatory and confirmatory factor analysis, and Cronbach's alpha coefficient were used. It was found that the two-factor structure of the scale was valid and its fit indices were appropriate. The total Cronbach's alpha coefficient of the scale was 0.83. The cut-off point of the scale was specified as 28 for its total score. As a consequence, the adaptation of the TPDS into Turkish was determined to be a valid and reliable measurement instrument. Assessment of distress levels of pregnant women constitutes an important area for both midwives and mental health nursing.

Coping strategies as psychological risk factor for antenatal anxiety, worries, and depression among Greek women

A range of psychosocial, medical, and demographic variables may influence pregnant women's psychological status. However the association between coping strategies, anxiety, worries, and depression during pregnancy is a relatively neglected area of research. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the relationship between coping strategies, antenatal anxiety, pregnancy worries, and depressive symptomatology after controlling for the effects of background variables. The study sample consisted of 163 pregnant women, with gestational age ranging from 11 to 26 weeks, attending antenatal screening at a Greek public hospital. Coping strategies were measured with Brief COPE, pregnancy worries were measured with Cambridge Worry Scale (CWS), anxiety was assessed using State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-X version), and depression was measured with Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression scale (CES-D). Pearson's correlation coefficients were calculated among all study variables, followed by hierarchical multiple linear regression. In the univariate analysis, low annual income, unemployment, conception after an IVF treatment, and a previous history of miscarriage were associated with anxiety, depression, and worries. Additionally, almost all coping strategies (denial, behavioral disengagement, self-blame, self-distraction, substance use, acceptance, positive reframing, active coping, and seeking emotional support) were significantly associated with antenatal anxiety, worries, and depression. Linear regression analysis showed that only previous history of miscarriage, conception after IVF, as well as denial, behavioral disengagement and acceptance coping strategies were significantly related to anxiety, worries and depressive symptomatology. The risk factors found in this study could help clinicians target anxiety and depression screening to high-risk populations of pregnant women. Provision of adequate training for obstetricians and midwives in the detection and management of anxiety and depression among pregnant women should help to decrease the psychological burden during pregnancy.

The effects of demographic factors on the folate-supplementation and health-behavior in pregnant women

A szerzők a várandósok folsavszupplementációs és egyéb egészség-magatartási szokásait, illetve azok demográfiai tényezőkkel való összefüggéseit igyekeztek feltárni. Módszer: Szombathely város tíz védőnői körzetében populációs monitoringot hoztak létre, ahol 2008. február 1. és 2009. február 1. között minden terhességi nyilvántartásba kerülő nőről rendszeres adatgyűjtést folytattak. Eredmények: Az alacsonyabb életkor és iskolai végzettség a gyermekvállalásra való felkészülés esélyét csökkentette. A gyermekvállalásra tudatosan készülők közül több mint kétszer annyian vittek be folsavat, háromszor annyian vittek be vitaminokat és csaknem feleannyian dohányoztak. A folsavszupplementáció esélyét a magasabb életkor és szocioökonómiai státus, valamint a felsőfokú végzettség szignifikánsan növelte, míg a testvérek száma csökkentette. Az érettséginél alacsonyabb végzettségűek nagyobb eséllyel dohányoztak (EH = 4,72; 95% MT = 2,34–9,51), mint a felsőfokú végzettségűek, csakúgy, mint az élettársi kapcsolatban élők a házasságban élőkhöz képest (EH = 2,74; 95% MT = 1,54–4,89). Következtetések: A folsavszupplementációban nem részesülők főleg a fiatalok, az alacsony képzettséggel és jövedelemmel rendelkezők köréből kerülnek ki, ugyanők egyéb vonatkozásban is kedvezőtlen egészség-magatartást folytatnak.