Abstract
Background. Several studies have identified pregnant women as a vulnerable group during the COVID-19 pandemic. The perinatal period has been identified as a stage of great risk for the mental health of pregnant women, due to a large increase in mental pathologies during this period. In this context, the objective of the present study was to assess the associations between socioeconomic and demographic factors, health concerns and health information management, and anxiety level during the COVID-19 pandemic in pregnant Spanish women. Method. The sample of this cross-sectional study was comprised of 353 pregnant women, aged 18 or older and residing in Spain. Data collection was carried out from 1 June to 30 September 2020. Participants were recruited from Quirónsalud University Hospital of Madrid. Multilevel regression models were built to value the associations between demographic factors, health concerns and health information management, and anxiety level during the COVID-19 pandemic among pregnant women. Results. Reduced working hours and income due to the COVID-19 pandemic were related to increased anxiety levels, as was the level of concern about COVID-19 symptoms, potential complications, contagion and consequences for the baby. Worries caused by restrictive measures adopted against COVID-19 and resulting isolation, delivery, postpartum and breastfeeding were also associated with increased anxiety levels. Being a separated or divorced woman and being informed to a greater extent by a midwife were related to lower anxiety levels. An increase in the degree of information obtained about COVID-19 symptoms, complications, contagion and consequences for the baby, restrictive measures and isolation adopted against COVID-19, delivery, postpartum and breastfeeding, were also related to decreased anxiety levels. Conclusions. The most vulnerable future mothers in terms of anxiety levels are those with reduced working hours and income due to the COVID-19 pandemic, those with a higher level of concern and who had access to a lesser degree of information about COVID-19 (symptoms and complications, contagion and consequences on the baby, restrictive measures and isolation, delivery, postpartum and breastfeeding), as well as pregnant women who have obtained information about COVID-19 during pregnancy from TV.
Highlights
The public health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic have been devastating [1,2].The number of deaths from COVID-19 has reached unimaginable numbers
Taking into account the evidence provided by the aforementioned studies, indicating significant vulnerability of pregnant women in terms of mental health, our research question is aimed at detecting the factors that may influence anxiety levels of pregnant women living in Spain during the COVID-19 pandemic
2.5% had a medical COVID-19 diagnosis, a status that was not associated to STAI state (STAI-S) score
Summary
The public health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic have been devastating [1,2]. The number of deaths from COVID-19 has reached unimaginable numbers. More vulnerable populations in terms of mental health during the COVID-19 outbreak were found to be women, younger people, people with basic or medium studies, students and individuals with no remunerated activities, single populations and those co-living with dependent seniors as well as those with a reduced number of children [13,14,15] Other factors, such as pre-existing physical and mental health conditions and low social support, have been linked to depressive symptoms [16]. Taking into account the evidence provided by the aforementioned studies, indicating significant vulnerability of pregnant women in terms of mental health, our research question is aimed at detecting the factors that may influence anxiety levels of pregnant women living in Spain during the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective of the present study was to identify those socioeconomic, demographic, health-related and information management factors and concerns that may influence the anxiety level of pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic
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