Abstract
TORCH complex, one of the potential infections that may occur during pregnancy, may contribute also to prenatal pregnant women's anxiety and depression. The aim of this study was to explore the presence of psychiatric symptoms, in relation with infection of TORCH agents, specifically the Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) and Cytomegalovirus (CMV). The study was conducted on 58 preg- nant women recruited from the Clinical Virology Unit, A.O.U. Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele, P.O. Gaspare Rodolico, from September 2012 to March 2014. Psychiatric symptoms were evaluated through the Symptom Checklist-90 Revised (SCL-90 R) in pregnant women with CMV or T. gondii infection. Moreover, pregnant women were invited to participate in a program of Counseling about behavioral change, an effective psychotherapeutic training for the development of new motivational strategies to the infection acceptance, the greater self-confidence and greater adhe- rence to treatment. The age of the subjects was positively correlated with Depression (r = 0.119, p < 0.05) and negatively correlated with Phobic Anxiety (r = −0.178, p < 0.05). The same variables were also negatively correlated with the level of education (r = −0.231, r = −0.320, p < 0.05) and with the dimension Somatization (r = −0.208, p < 0.05). Somatization was positively correlated with unmarried patients (r = 0.141, p < 0.05), while Phobic Anxiety was negatively correlated with unmarried patients (r = −0.105, p < 0.05). Somatization, Phobic Anxiety and Depression were po- * Corresponding author.
Highlights
Prenatal depression and anxiety are common, temporary and treatable disorders experienced by women during pregnancy and in the first year after the birth of their child
Among the TORCH agents, those considered in this study are Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) and Cytomegalovirus (CMV), which might contribute to prenatal anxiety and depression [3]
Our study aims to explore the presence of psychiatric symptoms through the Symptom Checklist-90 Revised (SCL-90 R) in pregnant women with T. gondii or CMV infection [12]
Summary
Prenatal depression and anxiety are common, temporary and treatable disorders experienced by women during pregnancy and in the first year after the birth of their child. They can affect any woman—regardless of age, race, income, culture or education [1]. An infection caused by the TORCH complex (Toxoplasma gondii, Others, Rubella, Cytomegalovirus, and Herpes simplex virus I and II) can impact on a woman’s psychological and emotional state, partially already compromised by the pregnancy [2]. T. gondii is of particular concern in humans because of the potential for transmitting the disease to the unborn fetus if the mother is infected during pregnancy [4] [5]. Pregnant women should stay away from strays and do not let pets wander because handling strays can cause toxoplasmosis
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