Pregnancy-related anxiety among Chinese pregnant women in mid-late pregnancy under the two-child policy and its significant correlates

Abstract

Background: Pregnancy-related anxiety (PRA) is a global public health concern. This study aims to understand the PRA among Chinese pregnant women at mid-late pregnancy and to explore the significant correlates.

Methods: The Chinese PRA scale was used to measure PRA among 342 pregnant women from Zhejiang Province in China at their mid- and late- pregnancy respectively.

Results: The participants aged from 21 to 42 years old, and their mean age was 30. 1 (SD=4. 0). The average scores of the Chinese PRA scale at mid- and late- pregnancy were 1. 60 (SD=0. 33) and 1. 58 (SD=0. 33) respectively. Unplanned pregnancy (mid-pregnancy: β=0. 18, p<0. 001; late-pregnancy: β=0. 11, p = 0. 024) and gender of the first child being male (mid-pregnancy:β=-0. 20, p = 0. 001; late-pregnancy: β=-0. 14, p = 0. 016) were significantly correlated with PRA among pregnant women at mid- and late- pregnancy. Living with parents-in-law was not associated with the PRA overall and domain scores.

Limitations: This study was done among pregnant women at their mid-late pregnancy, and no follow-up was conducted at postpartum. The sample size of this study was relatively small which might affect the generalizability of the findings.

Conclusions: The current study found that the correlates of PRA at mid- and late-pregnancy were generally similar. For future studies, special attention should be paid to pregnant women who are in the condition of unplanned pregnancy and those who already have a female child to relieve their anxiety levels.

Keywords: Chinese culture; Mid-late pregnancy; Pregnancy-related anxiety; Two-Child policy.