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Background:Women are seriously subjected to psychiatric diseases during pregnancy and depression is the most prevailing one among these diseases. There is a relation between the social support and depression in pregnancy whose predisposing factors are genetic, psychological, biological, environmental, and hormonal.Objectives:This study aimed to determine the frequency of depression symptoms, and its risk factors. Also it studied the correlation between social support and pregnancy depression.Patients and Methods:This research is a descriptive cross-sectional study. It was conducted on 266 pregnant women selected by simple random method from all pregnant women admitted at the Maternity Hospital of Trabzon, Turkey from May 21 to June 13, 2008. The data were collected with a questionnaire form, the Beck depression inventory (BDI), and the multidimensional scale of perceived social support (MSPSS).Results:The mean BDI score of the pregnant women was 11.12 ± 6.65. According to the BDI, 46.2% of the pregnant women had no depression symptoms, 34.59% of them had mild, 13.91% had moderate, and 4.89% had severe level of depression symptoms. It was found that such factors as the educational level of the pregnant women and their husbands, having an undesired pregnancy, suffering from a chronic disease before pregnancy, presence of pregnancy-related problems, having a child with disability or having relatives whose children had disability, and smoking during pregnancy were the risk factors affecting the severity of the depression symptoms and these results were statistically significant (P < 0.05). On the other hand, the mean MSPSS score was 67.89 ± 14.26 and it was found that the pregnant women got the highest social support from their husbands. It was found that there was a significant correlation between BDI and MSPSS total score and its subscale scores (P < 0.05).Conclusions:According to this study, one-fifth of pregnant women were found to experience depressive symptoms, which require treatment during pregnancy, and the factors such as having no support from relatives was found to be associated with the severity of depressive symptoms during pregnancy.

Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic has adversely affected the physical and psychosocial health of pregnant women and their access to antenatal care and health services. Aim To examine women's pregnancy experiences during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Materials and methods The study was conducted in a qualitative design with 14 pregnant women who were admitted to a state hospital pregnancy outpatient clinic for antenatal control. The data were collected using a semi‐structured individual interview form and were analysed using the thematic analysis technique. COREQ checklist guide was followed in the study. Results The pregnancy experiences of women in the COVID‐19 pandemic were examined under 7 main themes: “physical health, psychosocial health, adaptation to pregnancy, pregnancy follow‐ups, social life, spouse relationship and coping methods”. Pregnant women have both positive and negative pregnancy experiences in the COVID‐19 pandemic. Conclusion The study concluded that the pandemic has affected both the physical and psychosocial health of pregnant women, their social life, marital relationship and access to antenatal care services. Health professionals need to evaluate psychosocial health as well as the physical health of pregnant women, especially during the pandemic, and create a care plan accordingly. Midwives and other health professionals should improve the bio‐psychosocial health of the pregnant/family via telehealth and counselling services.

To investigate the relationship between multigravidas' perceptions of traumatic childbirth (PTC) and their socio-demographic characteristics and the effect of their previous types of birth and experiences on PTC. This descriptive study was conducted in a state hospital in Northern Turkey. The universe of the study consisted of multigravidas. The sample of the study comprised 161 pregnant women determined with G power analysis. The data were collected using the "Pregnant Introductory Information Form" and "Perception of Traumatic Childbirth Scale". The age, gestational week and the number of pregnancy of the participants were 28.27 ± 5.13, 30.45 ± 7.71 and 1.94 ± 1.07 respectively. The average PTC score was 70.57 ± 21.89. 1.9%, 28.6%i 39.1% and 23.6% of the pregnant women perceived their birth as "very low", "low", "moderate" and as "high" traumatic respectively. There was a negative correlation between the average PTC score and the gestational age, the number of pregnancies and the duration of the adverse events and positive correlation between the average PTC score and the number of hospital visits during pregnancy (p <0.05). Compared with those who had cesarean section and no intervention, PTC score was higher in those who had a previous vaginal delivery and interventions. The average PTC score of those planning to give vaginal delivery was higher than those planning cesarean birth (p <0.05). The women who had a chronic disease before pregnancy (p<0.05) and those who had a vaginal birth with only a midwife and were satisfied with her communication had lower PTC scores (p> 0.05). Six out of every 10 pregnant women perceived their delivery traumatic at a moderate / high level. PTC was higher in those having vaginal birth and an intervention previously and planning a vaginal birth again. The early identification of the risk of PTC before pregnancy or early pregnancy and taking precautions are recommended.

Foot reflexology was found to have a positive effect in lowering the total anxiety scores of the pregnant women. Reflexology is a noninvasive and economical method, which may be used by health professionals to reduce problems during labor. A decrease in anxiety experienced at birth improves women's positive birth experiences, promotes a secure mother-infant attachment, and protects postpartum mental health.