Evaluation of the association between fear of COVID-19 and pregnancy distress

Abstract

Background: Mental health problems experienced during pregnancy negatively affect both maternal and fetal wellbeing.
 Objective: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and pregnancy distress in healthy pregnant women living in Turkey.
 Methods: A descriptive, relational/cross-sectional study was conducted by interviewing 363 pregnant women in person. Data were collected using a personal information form, the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), and the Tilburg Pregnancy Distress Scale (TPDS).
 Results: The mean FCV-19S score was 19.03±5.65 and the mean TPDS score was 19.97±7.97. According to the TPDS cut-off score, 19.0% of the participants were at risk of pregnancy distress. There was a significant positive correlation between FCV-19S and TPDS scores (r = 0.263, p<0.05). According to the regression analysis, age (β= -0.217), years of education (β= -0.272), and number of births (β= 0.502) were associated with fear of COVID-19, and fear of COVID-19 was associated with TPDS scores (β= 0.369) (p<0.05).
 Conclusion: The pregnant women in this study had moderate fear of COVID-19. Compared to the literature data, the prevalence of pregnancy distress was slightly higher than pre-COVID-19 reports but quite low compared to other studies conducted during the pandemic.
 Keywords: COVID-19; fear; distress; pregnant women; pregnancy.

Assessment of Levels of Anxiety and Fear of Covid-19 in a Population of Pregnant Women in Spain

“…Some authors have reported moderate levels of fear of the disease in pregnant women one year after the start of the pandemic. 17 Fear during pregnancy may represent a relevant risk factor in the normal development of the current pregnancy; some authors point out an incidence between 45% and 77%. 2,49,50 In this regard, there is research on the consequences that fear can have on infant psychophysiological development.…”

“…14,15 However, there are few studies related to vulnerable population groups such as pregnant women. 16,17 In addition, psychological reactions secondary to health crises seem to persist over time 18 and in this sense, the presence of fear and anxiety on an ongoing basis and in the prenatal period constitutes one of the precursors of postpartum depression. [19][20][21] Although the measures taken over the last three years have been fundamental in minimising the effects of the disease, this may have had a high psychological cost for certain population groups that needs to be assessed.…”