An enquiry into pregnancy anxiety and associated factors among pregnant women in Birjand in 2016

Introduction: While maternity can stand as an enjoyable and evolutionary events in a woman’s life, this new period can be associated with worry and anxiety for some women. Anxiety in pregnancy can lead to various and irreversible complications. This study aimed to investigate pregnancy anxiety and related factors among pregnant women referred to Birjand-based healthcare centers. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 380 pregnant women referred to healthcare centers in Birjand in 2016. The participants were selected by multistage random sampling method. Data were collected by demographics and disease records forms, questionnaire of personal information and records of pregnancy, Pregnancy–Related Anxiety Questionnaire (PRAQ) and Marital Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ). The collected data were analyzed in statistical software SPSS (version 15) using independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Tukey and Pearson correlation coefficient. P values lower than 0.05 were considered significant. Findings: Pregnancy anxiety mean score was 3.77±1.13 (range: 1-7). Pregnancy anxiety total score and some of its subscales correlated significantly with age, maternal education, spouse s education, parity, income, and mother and spouse’s occupation (P 0.05). There was a significant negative correlation between marital satisfaction and anxiety in pregnancy and all its subscales (P 0.05). No significant association was found between pregnancy anxiety and its subscales and the type of pregnancy (planned or unplanned), sex of the fetus, and housing status (P 0.05). Conclusions: Considering the high prevalence of anxiety in pregnancy and the impact of various factors on it, it is necessary to highlight the importance and emphasis on psychiatric care during pregnancy and inclusion of training on mental health of pregnant women in routine care during pregnancy and, hence, a step towards increased health of the mother and babies, and ultimately, the health of families and communities. Therefore, vulnerable mothers should be identified and cared for both mentally and psychologically so that pregnancy anxiety can be prevented.