Anxiety in pregnancy and length of gestation: Findings from the healthy babies before birth study.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Anxiety is prevalent in pregnancy and predicts risk of adverse birth outcomes. Many instruments measure anxiety in pregnancy, some of which assess pregnancy anxiety defined as maternal concerns about a current pregnancy (e.g., baby, childbirth). The present study examined covariance among four anxiety or distress measures at two times in pregnancy and tested joint and individual effects on gestational length. We hypothesized that the common variance of the measures in each trimester would predict earlier delivery.

Method

Research staff interviewed 196 women in first and third trimester utilizing a clinical screener of anxiety severity/impairment, two instruments measuring pregnancy anxiety, and one on prenatal distress. Birth outcomes and medical risk facto

SUBMITTER: Dunkel Schetter C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9885848 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature