Reproductive Health and Wellness
The Association between Pregnancy-specific Anxiety and Preterm Birth: a cohort study
Background: Antenatal anxiety may have long-term negative effects on pregnancy outcome. Antenatal anxiety can also be detrimental
to maternal health during pregnancy. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the association between pregnancy-specific
anxiety and preterm birth in pregnant women.
Methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted on 208 pregnant women who were referred to the prenatal clinic of
Al-Zahra hospital in Rasht. Sampling was conducted through convenient (simple) method. Data gathering tools were a demographic
characteristics questionnaire and pregnancy-specific anxiety scale. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 19. General
Linear Model (GLM)-Repeated Measures test were used to study variations in anxiety along pregnancy period and tested
levels of significance among inter-trimester anxiety scores.
Results: Results of the study showed that change in pregnancy-specific anxiety is significantly associated with preterm birth
among participants in this study. Second trimester pregnancy-specific anxiety was not associated with preterm birth, but third
trimester pregnancy-specific anxiety was associated with preterm birth.
Conclusion: According to the results of this study, third trimester pregnancy-specific anxiety was associated with preterm birth.
Therefore, the health care providers should pay special attention to pregnancy-specific anxiety.
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