Mental Health Of Pregnant Women Research Articles

Marital Satisfaction and Marital Coping Style adopted by Working and Non-working Pregnant Women attending Antenatal Outpatient Department in Sikkim

Background & Aim: Being healthy in the period of pregnancy is crucial for women in the workplace. So it is important to pay attention to the safety and health of working pregnant women there. Marital satisfaction is one of the main characteristics of psychological health and one of the factors which can affect it, is occupation. The aim of this study was to compare marital satisfaction and marital coping style between working and non-working pregnant women. Material & Method: This is a descriptive comparative study with a sample size of 240 working and non-working pregnant women selected through purposive sampling technique and attending antenatal outpatient departments of government and private hospitals. Data were collected through Enrich marital satisfaction scale and Bowman marital coping inventory. Results: The marital satisfaction for working pregnant women was 165.1317.49 (government hospital) and 173.03 whereas for non-working it was 164.3815.91 and 169.7613 in government and private hospitals and the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Statistically significant differences were noted among the working and non-working pregnant women in terms of adopting coping style in the government hospital (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Results of this study show that working had positive effects on marital satisfaction and the decline in marital satisfaction of pregnant non-working women is due to low educational qualification of self and spouse and low family monthly income. Thus, marital counselling, as an important part of prenatal care, would be an effective step to enhance the mental health of pregnant women, and is hence recommended.

Faktor yang Mempengaruhi Kepatuhan Ibu Hamil dalam Melakukan Kunjungan Antenatal Care (ANC) di Layanan Kesehatan.pdf

Background: Antenatal care (ANC) is a health service from professionals for pregnant women in accordance with service standards that implemented to improve the physical and mental health of pregnant women optimally, so that they able to face childbirth, postpartum periode, exclusive breastfeeding preparation, and periode of reproductive system return to its normal pre-pregnant stage. Mother’s adherence in ANC attendance can detect and treat pregnancy problems which could impact on maternal mortality. Inadequate utilization of health services can be caused by many factors, including knowledge of pregnant women, distance of residence, family income, information from media, family support, and health workers’ factor.
 Objective: Determined the factors that influence the adherence of pregnant women to ANC attendance at Panti Rini Hospital Yogyakarta 
 Method: This research is a descriptive analytic study with a cross sectional design at Panti Rini Hospital Yogyakarta. The sample in this study were thirty-two of third trimester pregnant women who visited antenatal care during 15 December 2020-6 January 2021 which recruited with an accidental sampling. Univariate, bivariate analysis with the Spearman correlation statistical test used to determine the relationship of each variables (p-value) at the level of significance p <0.05. 
 Results: Factors that influence maternal adherence to ANC attendance were family support (p-value: 0,000). The factors that did not affect were maternal age (p-value: 0.868), maternal education (p-value: 0.644), employment status (p-value: 0.224), maternal knowledge (p-value: 0.175), distance of residence (p-value: 0.613), family income (p-value: 0.921), media information (p-value: 0.233), support from officers (p-value: 0.141).
 Conclusions: Factors that influence maternal adherence to ANC attendance were family support. The factors that did not affect were maternal age, maternal education, employment status, maternal knowledge, distance of residence, family income, media information, support from officers. It is hoped that the family will always offer support the mother in checking her pregnancy.

Health anxiety and related factors among pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study from Iran

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has affected many countries around the world and Iran was no exception. The aim of this study was to evaluate health anxiety of Iranian pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, 300 pregnant women in different trimesters (n = 100 in each trimester) were recruited. A demographic questionnaire and the Health Anxiety Questionnaire were used to collect data. Scores of < 27, 27–34 and more than 35 were defined as low, moderate and high health anxiety, respectively. Due to nationwide restrictions, data were collected through social media groups. Chi-square tests, ANOVA and multiple linear regression were used to analyze the data.ResultsMean (SD) total anxiety scores were 22.3 ± 9.5, 24.6 ± 9.3 and 25.4 ± 10.6 in the first, second and third trimesters of pregnancy, respectively. 9, 13 and 21% of women had severe anxiety in the first, second and third trimesters of pregnancy, respectively. Women in the third trimester had significantly higher health anxiety scores than those in the first trimester (p = 0.045).ConclusionAt the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, women in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy were more worried about consequences of disease, but total health anxiety scores were significantly higher among women in the third trimester of pregnancy. Health care providers should pay more attention to the mental health of pregnant women in times of crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Social, Cognitive, and eHealth Mechanisms of COVID-19-Related Lockdown and Mandatory Quarantine That Potentially Affect the Mental Health of Pregnant Women in China: Cross-Sectional Survey Study.

BackgroundAlthough lockdown and mandatory quarantine measures have played crucial roles in the sharp decrease of the number of newly confirmed/suspected COVID-19 cases, concerns have been raised over the threat that these measures pose to mental health, especially the mental health of vulnerable groups, including pregnant women. Few empirical studies have assessed whether and how these control measures may affect mental health, and no study has investigated the prevalence and impacts of the use of eHealth resources among pregnant women during the COVID-19 outbreak.ObjectiveThis study investigated (1) the effects of lockdown and mandatory quarantine on mental health problems (ie, anxiety and depressive symptoms), (2) the potential mediation effects of perceived social support and maladaptive cognition, and (3) the moderation effects of eHealth-related factors (ie, using social media to obtain health information and using prenatal care services during the COVID-19 pandemic) on pregnant women in China.MethodsAn online cross-sectional survey was conducted among 19,515 pregnant women from all 34 Chinese provincial-level administrative regions from February 25 to March 10, 2020.ResultsOf the 19,515 participants, 12,209 (62.6%) were subjected to lockdown in their areas of residence, 737 (3.8%) were subjected to mandatory quarantine, 8712 (44.6%) had probable mild to severe depression, 5696 (29.2%) had probable mild to severe anxiety, and 1442 (7.4%) had suicidal ideations. Only 640 (3.3%) participants reported that they used online prenatal care services during the outbreak. Significant sociodemographic/maternal factors of anxiety/depressive symptoms included age, education, occupation, the area of residence, gestational duration, the number of children born, complication during pregnancy, the means of using prenatal care services, and social media use for obtaining health information. Multiple indicators multiple causes modeling (χ214=495.21; P<.05; comparative fit index=.99; nonnormed fit index=.98; root mean square error of approximation=.04, 90% CI 0.038-0.045) showed that quarantine was directly and indirectly strongly associated with poor mental health through decreased perceived social support and increased maladaptive cognition (B=.04; β=.02, 95% CI 0.01-0.02; P=.001), while lockdown was indirectly associated with mental health through increased social support and maladaptive cognition among pregnant women (B=.03; β=.03, 95% CI 0.02-0.03; P=.001). Multigroup analyses revealed that the use of social media for obtaining health information and the means of using prenatal care services were significant moderators of the model paths.ConclusionsOur findings provide epidemiological evidence for the importance of integrating mental health care and eHealth into the planning and implementation of control measure policies. The observed social and cognitive mechanisms and moderators in this study are modifiable, and they can inform the design of evidence-based mental health promotion among pregnant women.

Education in Trauma-Informed Care in Maternity Settings Can Promote Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Globally, the pandemic has adversely affected many people’s mental health, including pregnant women and clinicians who provide maternity care, and threatens to develop into a mental health pandemic. Trauma-informed care is a framework that takes into account the effect that past trauma can have on current behavior and the ability to cope and can help to minimize retraumatization during health care encounters. The purpose of this article is to highlight the pressing need for perinatal clinicians, including nurses, midwives, physicians, doulas, nurse leaders, and nurse administrators, to be educated about the principles of trauma-informed care so that they can support the mental health of pregnant women, themselves, and members of the care team during the pandemic.

Effect of Vitamin B6 and Acupressure on Vomiting Symptoms in Pregnant Women with Hyperemesis Gravidarum

Introduction: Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) is a common early pregnancy syndrome that usually occurs around 6 weeks of pregnancy. The patient may cause dehydration, electrolyte metabolism disorders and abnormal fat metabolism, causing increased risk of pregnancy-induced. Objective: The effects of vitamin B and acupressure application combined with psychological adjuvant therapy on vomiting symptoms and mental health in pregnant women with severe vomiting. Methods: Study Type: Randomized Control Trial Duration of Study: Twelve Months from January 2019 to December 2019 Sampling Technique: The data has been collected from the subject index coming to the gynecology OPD of Gulab Devi Teaching Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan. Control group: aged 20 to 37 years, with an average of (26.12±2.44) years; 8 to 17 weeks of gestation, with an average of (9.18±1.77) weeks. Sample Selection Inclusion Criteria: All persons who have 1) meet the diagnostic criteria for HG; 2) 20 to 40 years of age; 3) both signed informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: vomiting caused by medical diseases such as hydatidiform mole, gastrointestinal disease, viral hepatitis, cholecystitis. This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Gulab Devi Teaching hospital. Pregnant women who were enrolled were divided into control group and experimental group according to the random number table method, with 48 cases in each group. Study Tools: Questionnaire and Interview Sample size (n)=96. Results: After 7 days of treatment the effective percentage rate in the experimental group was higher as compare to the control group in terms of clinical efficacy, SAS and SDS scores, antiemetic and hospitalization time and cost was much lower and within limits in the experimental group as compare to control group. Discussion: In addition to physiological treatment such as fluid replacement, psychological treatment should not be ignored. Conclusion: vitamin B6 and acupressure application combined with psychological adjunctive treatment of HG had a significant effect and could significantly relieve pregnant women Anxiety, depression and promote the recovery of pregnant women.

Level of exercise and physical activity among pregnant women in Saudi Arabia: A systematic review.

The current study aimed to clarify the health benefits of physical activity on the mother and fetus in the Saudi women population. Besides, it is intended to provide recommendation based on the literature and results of studies from Saudi Arabia for exercise in pregnancy to improve the general health of women in Saudi Arabia. Prenatal physical exercise enhances physical and mental health of pregnant women. It can also reduce the risk of multiple pregnancy-related complications such as; lower back pain, fluid retention and risk of gestational diabetes. All these factors can affect fetal development and life later. Multiple studies showed that prenatal exercise could reduce the risk of fetal macrosomia with no effect on other perinatal or postnatal complications. The study followed the systematic literature review approach where it included multiple medical search Databases using PICOS eligibility criteria up to January 2019. The review was based on the following keywords: pregnancy, gestational, or prenatal) and (physical exercise, exercise, or physical activity. There are only two studies that dealt with physical exercises among Saudi women. The results indicated a relation between prenatal physical exercise on improving or decreasing risks on the mother and child during pregnancy.

Factors associated with postpartum depression among women in Vientiane Capital, Lao People's Democratic Republic: A cross-sectional study.

Postpartum depression is a worldwide public health concern. The prevalence of postpartum depression is reported to be greater in developing countries than in developed countries. However, to the best of our knowledge, no papers on postpartum depression in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic have been published. In order to strengthen maternal and child health, the current situation of postpartum depression should be understood. This study aims to determine the prevalence of postpartum depression and identify factors associated with postpartum depression in Vientiane Capital, Lao People’s Democratic Republic. Study participants were 428 women 6–8 weeks postpartum who visited four central hospitals in Vientiane Capital for postnatal care from July to August 2019. Structured questionnaires were used to collect socio-demographic, obstetrical and infant, and psychiatric data about the women and their partners. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was used to identify suspected cases of postpartum depression with the cut-off score of 9/10. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine independent factors that were associated with suspected postpartum depression (EPDS ≥10). The mean age of the 428 women was 28.1 years, and the prevalence of suspected postpartum depression was 31.8%. Multivariable logistic regression using variables that were statistically significant on bivariate analyses indicated that three variables were associated with suspected postpartum depression: unintended pregnancy (AOR = 1.66, 95% CI 1.00–2.73, P = 0.049), low birth satisfaction (AOR = 1.85, 95% CI 1.00–3.43, P = 0.049), and depression during pregnancy (AOR = 3.99, 95% CI 2.35–6.77, P <0.001). In this study, unintended pregnancy, low birth satisfaction, and depression during pregnancy were independent risk factors for postpartum depression. These results suggest that the mental health of pregnant women should be monitored, and that health care services, especially family planning and supportive birth care, should be strengthened to prevent postpartum depression.

Mental health of pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic: A longitudinal study

Several studies have reported the susceptibility of pregnant women to emotional instability and stress. Thus, pregnancy may be a risk factor that could deepen the already negative effects of the current COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the aim of this study is to analyze longitudinally the psychopathological consequences of the pandemic in pregnant women, and to explore differences with non-pregnant women. The participants in this study were 102 pregnant women, and a control group of 102 non-pregnant women (most of them reported having university studies and little financial impact from the pandemic). They completed the Beck Depression Inventory-II, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, in three different times (2, 14, and 47 days after the start of the lockdown). In a time range of 50 days of quarantine, all women showed a gradual increase in psychopathological indicators and a decrease in positive affect. Pregnant women showed a more pronounced increase in depression, anxiety and negative affect than the non-pregnant women did. In addition, pregnant women showed a more pronounced decrease in positive affect. It is important for institutions dedicated to perinatal health care to count on empirical information to optimize the provision of their services.

Spiritual Health and Stress in Pregnant Women During the Covid-19 Pandemic.

Stress is one of the effective factors in the occurrence of negative effects during pregnancy that can cause adverse outcomes such as preterm delivery and reduced intrauterine growth of the fetus in pregnant women. Therefore, one of the serious concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic is the physical health and mental health of pregnant women. This study aimed to evaluate the physical health status with the spiritual and mental health of pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study is a descriptive study in 2019–2020 and the samples were randomly selected from all pregnant women who referred to hospitals and private maternity centers before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and performed all pregnancy and fetal health tests. It was performed on 560 pregnant female samples. The mental status of pregnant women was assessed using the DASS Spiritual Health and Stress Questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using SPSS statistical software (version 24). The results of this study showed that preterm birth, height, weight, and head circumference of babies and lungs and respiratory status of children with mental health and stress levels of pregnant women during the corona are significant compared with the previous of corona (p < 0.05). Increasing stress and decreasing the mental health of pregnant women during COVID-19 pandemic can increase the influencing factors in preterm delivery and unhealthy birth.

Perinatal Mental Health: One of the Biggest Challenges in Coronavirus Disease-19 Crisis

Coronavirus disease (COVID)-19 epidemic is currently conceived as one of the major factors for stress and anxiety for pregnant women around the world. Stress, especially in early pregnancy, is a risk factor for preterm birth. The negative impact of quarantine on mental health in pregnant women should also be taken into account. A large number of benefits of breastfeeding for the mental and physical well-being of both mother and newborn outweigh the potential risks of COVID-19-related transmission and disease. Prenatal and postnatal mental health should be prioritized in facing the current ongoing pandemic.

VP45.24: Health anxiety of pregnant women and its related factors during the pandemic of coronavirus

The pandemic of COVID-19 affected many countries as well as Iran. The aim of this study was to evaluate the health anxiety of the Iranian pregnant women in time of the pandemic of the coronavirus. In this cross-sectional study 300 pregnant women in different trimesters (n = 100 in each trimester) were recruited. A demographic questionnaire and the Health Anxiety questionnaire were used to collect data. Because of quarantine data were collected through social media groups. The chi-square, ANOVA and multiple linear regression were used to analyse data. The total score of anxiety was 22.3 ± 9.5, 24.6 ± 9.3 and 24.6 ± 10.6 in the first, second and third trimester of pregnancy respectively. Totally 9%, 13% and 21% of the woman had severe anxiety scores (equal or more than 35 in the first, second and third trimester of pregnancy respectively. Pregnant woman in the thrid trimester significantly had more health anxiety score than the first trimester ones. Pregnant women in the third trimester had significantly higher scores of "total health anxiety" in comparison with that of the first trimester ones (p = 0.045). At the time of the pandemic of COVID-19, women in the second and third trimester of pregnancy were more worry about consequences of disease, but the total score of health anxiety was significantly more in the women in the third trimester of pregnancy. Health care providers should pay more attention to the mental health of pregnant women in times of crises such as Corona pandemic.

VP45.34: Knowledge, attitudes, practices and influencing factors of anxiety among pregnant women in Wuhan during the outbreak of COVID‐19

Our study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of pregnant women in Wuhan, investigate the status of anxiety and assess influencing factors during the outbreak of COVID-19. We recruited 817 participants from two maternity hospitals in Wuhan, which are respectively in Jiangan (urban) and Jiangxia (suburban) district. All participants completed a structured questionnaire include sociodemographic and clinical characteristic, KAP, Zung self-rating anxiety scale (SAS). The mean score of knowledge was 13.15 ± 1.10. The prevalence of prenatal anxiety was 20.81%. Having kids, low score of knowledge, very worried about getting contacted with COVID-19, worried about getting contacted with COVID-19 by ultrasound transducer were risk factors for the prenatal anxiety, trust in official media, postponed antenatal care (ANC) or reduced the visiting times were protective factors. Prenatal anxiety was relative common among pregnant women in Wuhan during the outbreak of COVID-19, Our findings recognised factors associated with a lower level of prenatal anxiety that can be used to design psychological interventions to improve the mental health of pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic. Supporting information can be found in the online version of this abstract Supporting Information Please note: The publisher is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supporting information supplied by the authors. Any queries (other than missing content) should be directed to the corresponding author for the article.

The relationship among fear and anxiety of COVID-19, pregnancy experience, and mental health disorder in pregnant women: A structural equation model.

IntroductionCoronavirus pandemic causes stress and anxiety for pregnant women worldwide. The present study was conducted for the path analysis of the relationship among fear and anxiety caused by coronavirus, pregnancy experience, and the mental health of pregnant women.MethodsThis cross‐sectional study was conducted on 222 pregnant women who were referred to Kamali Hospital in Alborz province in 2020. The eligible individuals entered the study through convenience sampling, and data were collected using five questionnaires including the Fear of COVID‐19 Scale, the Anxiety of COVID‐19 Scale, the pregnancy experiences Scales, Depression Anxiety Stress scale, and demographic checklist. The obtained data were then analyzed using SPSS‐16 and Amos software.ResultsAccording to results of the path analysis, the anxiety of COVID‐19 and concerns during pregnancy were variables that were positively and significantly correlated with mental health only through one path, which was direct, and anxiety of COVID‐19 had also the highest positive direct correlation among them (B = 0.32). The next variable was the happiness during pregnancy experiencing, which had a significantly negative and direct correlation with mental health disorder (B = 0.29). Moreover, fear of COVID‐19 through the mediating concerns of pregnancy experiences was shown to have a significant positive relationship with mental health through an indirect path (B = 0.05).ConclusionBased on the result of this study, it is necessary to pay more attention to the mental health of pregnant women during a pandemic. In addition, it is recommended to provide a virtual training group to reduce anxiety caused by coronavirus and pregnancy concerns, as well as emphasizing the feeling of enjoying happiness caused by pregnancy experience during a pandemic.

Anxiety and depression symptoms in the same pregnant women before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objectives With clinical experience from previous coronavirus infections, public health measures and fear of infection may have negative psychological effects on pregnant women. This study aimed to compare the level of anxiety and depression in the same pregnant women before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods The pregnant women continuing pregnancy who participated in the first study which was undertaken to clarify the factors associated with mental health of pregnant women before the COVID-19 pandemic, were included for the current study during the outbreak. Anxiety and depression symptoms of the same pregnant women were evaluated by using the Inventory of Depression and Anxiety Symptoms II and Beck Anxiety Inventory twice before and during the pandemic. Results A total of 63 pregnant women completed questionnaires. The mean age of the women and the mean gestational age was 30.35±5.27 years and 32.5±7weeks, respectively. The mean total IDAS II score was found to increase from 184.78±49.67 (min: 109, max: 308) to 202.57±52.90 (min: 104, max: 329) before and during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. According to the BAI scores the number of patients without anxiety (from 10 to 6) and with mild anxiety (from 31 to 24) decreased and patients with moderate (from 20 to 25) and severe anxiety (from 2 to 8) increased after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that obesity and relationship with her husband are the best predictors of IDAS II scores. Conclusions This study indicated that COVID-19 outbreak affects the mental health of pregnant women negatively which leads to adverse birth outcomes. The level of anxiety and depression symptoms of pregnant women during the COVID-19 infection significantly increased. Healthcare professionals should establish comprehensive treatment plans for pregnant women who are highly vulnerable population to prevent mental trauma during the infectious disease outbreaks.

Nexus Between Maternal Depression and Sustainable Development

Many women in developing and underdeveloped countries suffer from maternal depression due to low economic status, lack of education, low income, poor shelter, sexual and domestic violence coming from their partners, husbands, and in-laws. These factors have a tremendous effect on the mental health of pregnant women, nursing mothers, and women in general. Due to the fact that maternal depression isn't a common condition in developing and underdeveloped regions of the world. Women who suffer from it are considered cursed, mad, or wicked when it spirals into postpartum psychosis and involves the commotion of suicide by the victim or the hurting of the baby. This paper will be analyzing how sustainability through sustainable development goals can be utilized in achieving the right environment for socio-economic development, and legal and institutional support, for women disadvantaged due to poverty, low income, and cultural restraints. where the achievement of the sustainable development goals are targeted in decreasing the rate of maternal depression, Mothers are optimistic of a well structured and balanced life that enables them to be certain of the future when it comes to birthing and raising their children and future generations. which will gradually eliminate the factors that bring about maternal depression from the root source.

Social vulnerability: The connection between psychiatric disorders and thiamine deficiency in pregnant women

The evaluation of thiamine and its derivative phosphate esters levels in pregnant women in rural communities can contribute not only for understanding the specific characteristics of this population regarding nutritional aspects, but also for clarifying the relations of psychiatric manifestations and a vitamin deficit. In the present work we assessed sociodemographic variables, psychiatric parameters and thiamine and its derivative in the whole blood of women in a rural, low-income community in Brazil. A case-control study was done. 94 women were divided in groups using the trimesters of pregnancy as a criterion: each trimester, 1st, 2nd and 3rd had 17, 37 and 38 women, respectively. A control group of non-pregnant women (n-39) was also included. Symptoms of anxiety and depression were assessed using the HAMA Scale and Beck Inventory, respectively. The thiamine and its phosphorylated derivatives concentrations were determined in whole blood samples using the HPLC method. The results suggest that physiological mechanisms linked to the metabolic pathways of thiamine may play a role in some neurobiological substrate involved in the regulation of emotional state. Thus, social vulnerability is identified as an important factor to be considered in the evaluation of the mental health of pregnant women living in rural communities.

Impact of individual and neighborhood social capital on the physical and mental health of pregnant women: the Japan Environment and Children\u2019s Study (JECS)

BackgroundPrevious studies revealed positive, negative, and no influence of social capital on the health outcomes of pregnant women. It was considered that such differences were caused by the disparities of outcome measures and sample sizes between studies. Our chief aim was to verify the positive influence of social capital on the health condition of pregnant women using established health outcome measures and large-scale nationwide survey data.MethodsWe employed questionnaire survey data from 79,210 respondents to the Japan Environment and Children’s Study, and physical and mental component summary scores from the 8-Item Short-Form Health Survey as outcome measures. We estimated the effect of individual and neighborhood social capitals on physical and mental component summary scores. To consider the property that the richness of social capital would be generally determined by individual characteristics, and to estimate the causal influence of social capital on health without bias caused by said property, we adopted average treatment effect estimation with inverse probability weighting. Generally, average treatment effects are based on the difference of average outcomes between treated and untreated groups in an intervention. In this research, we reckoned individuals’ different levels of social capital as a kind of non-randomized treatment for respective individuals, and we applied average treatment effect estimation. The analysis regarded pregnant women with the lowest level of social capital as untreated samples and women with other levels of social capitals as treated samples.ResultsFor mental component summary score, the maximum average treatment effects in the comparison between the lowest and highest levels of social capital were approximately 4.4 and 1.6 for individual and neighborhood social capital, respectively. The average treatment effects for the physical component summary score were negligible for both social capital types.ConclusionsSocial capital particularly contributes to improving mental component summary score in pregnant women. The likelihood of a mentally healthy pregnancy may be increased by enhancing social capital.

Risk factors for anxiety and depression among pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic: A web-based cross-sectional survey.

The article presents a protocol of a cross-sectional study of mental health of pregnant women in relation to the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic. The primary aim is to compare differences in anxiety and depression scores of pregnant women between countries affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The secondary aim is to assess demographic, economic, and social aspects affecting maternal anxiety and depression scores among pregnant women worldwide in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, we will be able to compare differences in perception of the different aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic (social distancing, restrictions related to delivery) between countries and according to the epidemic status (number of infected patients, number of reported deaths). The comparisons will also be done according to the COVID-19 status of the participants. It is a web-based anonymous survey of pregnant women living in countries affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey is comprised of 3 sections:Web-based recruitment for health research has proven to be cost-effective and efficient. At current times with the COVID-19 pandemic, limited resources and social distancing restrictions, performing a mental health study involving pregnant women on a large international scale cannot be safely conducted without involving social-media.The fears of pregnant women fall into 3 categories: the medical condition, the economic status and the organization of daily activity.The study has received approval of the medical ethics committee and has been registered on Clinicaltrials.gov. Results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and made public through all available media.

Association between social support and anxiety among pregnant women in the third trimester during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic in Qingdao, China: The mediating effect of risk perception.

Background:Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a public health emergency of international concern and poses a threat to the mental health of pregnant women.Aim:The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between social support and anxiety, and the mediating effect of risk perception during the COVID-19 epidemic in the third trimester pregnant women in Qingdao, China.Methods:From 16 to 21 February 2020, an online survey was conducted, which collected the information on demographic data, anxiety, social support and risk perception to COVID-19 of women with established medical records in the ambulatory of the Department of Obstetrics at the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University. Anxiety was assessed by the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), social support was assessed by the Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS) and risk perception was assessed by a self-designed questionnaire.Results:This study had 308 participants with an average of 31.02 ± 3.91 years. During the period of prevention and control of the epidemic, most pregnant women adopted protective measures, such as wearing masks (97.4%), washing hands frequently (88.3%) and staying at home (76.3%). The average SAS, SSRS and risk perception scores of the participants were 42.45 ± 6.98, 44.60 ± 7.00 and 21.60 ± 5.74, respectively. The total effect of maternal social support on anxiety was −2.63 (95% confidence interval (CI): −4.40 ~ −1.44, p < .001), the direct effect was −1.44 (95% CI: −2.74 ~ −0.35, p < .05) and the indirect effect was −1.19 (95% CI: −2.49 ~ −0.51, p < .001).Conclusion:The third trimester pregnant women had a high level of social support, a medium level of risk perception to COVID-19 and were susceptible to anxiety. Risk perception played a mediating role between social support and anxiety.