Disgust sensitivity in early pregnancy as a response to high pathogen risk.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Considered a part of the behavioral immune system (BIS), disgust sensitivity is expected to be adjusting as a response to the actual level of the environmental health risks.

Methods

In this preregistered study, we tested the hypothesis that disgust sensitivity would be higher during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic period in pregnant women. In this between-subject study with a longitudinal trend design, we administered the Disgust Scale-Revised to 200 pregnant women before the pandemic and to 350 pregnant women during the pandemic.

Results

We found a small but significant effect of the pandemic on disgust sensitivity, such that higher disgust sensitivity was found in women pregnant during the pandemic. This effect was stronger in primipa

SUBMITTER: Kankova S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10009253 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature