Mindfulness and anxiety symptoms in pregnant women

Abstract

Objectives Anxiety has been associated with a range of physical and emotion changes during pregnancy. The current study investigated the association between anxiety symptoms and mindfulness in low-risk pregnant women. Methods Pregnant women (n = 283) completed the structured questionnaires at the prenatal care clinic in a university hospital. Mindfulness awareness and anxiety symptoms were respectively measured using the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale and State Anxiety Inventory (SAI). Results The mean age of participants was 32.5 years [standard deviation (SD) 4.3] and most of the women were primiparas. The mean scores of anxiety symptoms were 39.1 (SD 10.8), while the average of mindfulness awareness was 68.9 (SD 9.2). 28.9% of pregnant women reported high level of anxiety symptoms (SAI > 45) during pregnancy. Compared to the participants with low anxiety, pregnant women with high level of anxiety tend to have lower mindfulness score (P Conclusions The present study provides initial evidence regarding mindfulness awareness and anxiety symptoms in pregnant women. Future research addressing the mindfulness and anxiety is of importance in perinatal mental health.