Objective: To explore the prevalence, trends and related influencing factors of pregnancy-related anxiety throughout pregnancy.
Methods: A total of 990 pregnant women at the maternal and child health centers of Ma' anshan participated in all three surveys. Data on demographic characteristic and exposure factors during pregnancy were collected. The Pregnancy-related Anxiety Questionnaire was used to assess the anxiety symptoms. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) was used to evaluate the related influencing factors of pregnancy-related anxiety.
Results: The mean score of the pregnancy-related anxiety were 20.3 ± 4.9, 19.6 ± 4.6, 18.9 ± 4.4 for the first, second and third trimester, respectively. Pregnancy-related anxiety showed a significant difference among the three trimesters ( F = 63.10, P < 0.001). Prevalence of pregnancy-related anxiety were 21.0%, 17.7% and 13.6%, respectively, at the first, second and third trimester. Results from GEE analysis indicated that maternal education of senior high school( OR = 1.36, 95% CI 1.05 - 1.75), lower family monthly income (OR =1.33, 95%, CI 1.01 - 1.75), unplanned pregnancy (OR = 2.60, 95% CI 2.05 - 3.29), history of miscarriage (OR = 1.30, 95% CI 1.06 - 1.60), vaginal bleeding (OR = 1.61, 95% CI 1.22 - 2.12), fever ( OR = 1.69, 95% CI 1.17 - 2.46) and use of nutritional supplementation during pregnancy ( OR = 1.43, 95% CI 1.08 - 1. 88 ) significantly increased the risk of pregnancy-related anxiety.
Conclusion: Pregnancy-related anxiety appeared a decrease from the first to third trimester. Maternal education, economic situation, unplanned pregnancy, history of miscarriage, and adverse physiological symptoms such as vaginal bleeding and fever were associated with the risk of pregnancy-related anxiety.