Symptoms of anxiety are one of the most prevalent emotional responses in women during their reproductive phase and especially during pregnancy.
Objective: Estimate the incidence and prevalence of anxiety throughout the three trimesters of pregnancy in addition to studying the possible risk factors associated with anxiety symptoms.
Method: A sample of 385 pregnant women participated in a longitudinal study in which the GAD-7 questionnaire was used.
Results: Anxiety prevalence was 19.5% in the first trimester. In the second trimester, it was 16.8%, with an incidence of 0.048%. In the third trimester, it was 17.2%, with an incidence of 0.068%. The following predictive factors of anxiety symptoms were identified: being a smoker, presence of previous illness and changes in social relationships.
Conclusions: High incidence and prevalence of anxiety symptoms occur during pregnancy; consequently, applicable preventive policies should be developed.