Anxiety during Pregnancy among Women Attending Al-Karkh Primary Health Care Centers, Baghdad

Abstract

Abstract Background: Prenatal maternal anxiety is significant because of increasingly strong evidence that women who experience high stress or anxiety during pregnancy are more likely to deliver preterm or low birth weight infants, autistic disorder, schizophrenia, and depression in infancy and childhood. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to assess the prevalence of anxiety during pregnancy among women attending Al-Karkh primary health care (PHC) centers, Baghdad, and to study its associated factors. Methodology: This study is a cross-sectional with analytic components conducted among 500 pregnant women from Baghdad city, Al-Karkh directorate primary heath care centers, during the period extended between August 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021. A simple random sampling was used to select the PHC centers from each sector in Al-Karkh directorate. Interview was done with each woman with three questionnaires (sociodemographic questionnaire, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders [Fourth Edition], and Pregnancy-Related Anxiety Questionnaire). Results: The mean age was 26.63 ± 6.811 years. There were 145 (29%) pregnant women live in rural area and 355 (71%) live in urban area. There were 155 (31%) anxious women, 21% with mild anxiety. There was a significant association with previous abortions, null parity, and less parity. In addition, rural area pregnant women, younger pregnant women, and unemployed pregnant women were more anxious. Conclusion: There was a relatively high prevalence of anxiety during pregnancy among women attending Al-Karkh PHC centers (31%). Twenty-one percent of them were with mild anxiety.