Effects of Pregnancy-Induced Psychological and Emotional Factors on the Occurrence of Preeclampsia/Eclampsia (PE-E) and Haemorrhage

Abstract

Preeclampsia/eclampsia (PE-E) and haemorrhage are the topmost causes of maternal and perinatal deaths in the world. This study was designed to assess the effects of pregnancy-induced psychological and emotional factors on the occurrence of PE-E and haemorrhage. The study was a prospective cohort involving all pregnant women >28 weeks of gestation reporting for antenatal care (ANC) in seven Hospitals in the Eastern Region of Ghana. The study redesigned the Revised Cognitive Therapy Scale (CTS-R) to suit this study using a five-point score scale. The results show that the predictor variables; fear, anger, sadness, disgust, love, hate, tension, anxiety, depression, and dejection, were all statistically significant and associated with PE-E and haemorrhage except joy, acceptance, and happiness. Pregnant women who experienced high (2) and highest (4) levels of fear had reduced odds of PE-E by 34% and 15.8%, respectively. Those who recorded low levels of love were 9.8 times the odds of PE-E, those with low (1), high (2), higher (3), and highest (4) levels of anxiety had reduced odds of PE-E by 22.2%, 37.3%, 21.3%, and 10% respectively. Pregnant women with low levels of psychological and emotional issues were about 3 times the odds of PE-E compared to those who were normal. In conclusion, the study shows a significant association between preeclamptic/eclamptic pregnant women and different levels of fear, anger, sadness, Love, hate, depression, dejection, anxiety, and tension. It is recommended that Ghana Health Service should institute psychological and emotional counselling as part of ANC services in order to manage pregnant women who may need them to avert the effects on pregnancy and birth outcome.