Prevalence and Risk Factors of Pregnancy-Related Anxiety: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background: Pregnancy is a unique period of life that can overwhelm an expectant mother with experiences of psychological ambivalence, concretized by emotional disturbances, sudden transitions from exhaustion to exaltation, or even mixed anxiety. Objective: To determine the prevalence of pregnancy-related anxiety and its associated factors among pregnant women. Methods: We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A structured literature review was carried out using the component of the PICO framework. The literature search was conducted in Medline, Ovid, Embase, Google Scholar, and PubMed. A combination of relevant search terms was used. Electronic searches were supplemented by manual searches of references of included studies and review articles. The duplicate citations were identified and removed. Results: A total of 69 articles were identified through the searches, while 13 articles met the inclusion criteria. The characteristics and results of included studies were discussed, regarding the study design, screening tools, prevalence, onset, and risk factors of pregnancy-related anxiety. Conclusions: Anxiety disorders are common during pregnancy. There is wide variability in its measurement, with a subsequently wide range in reported prevalence rates. Several risk factors are associated with pregnancy-related anxiety, such as younger age, low income, past history of stillbirth, unwanted pregnancy, current comorbidity, or mental illness. Key words: Pregnancy, anxiety, onset, prevalence, risk factors, systematic review, PRISMA.