The effect of Covid-19 anxiety on prenatal distress and prenatal attachment in pregnant women

Abstract

Objective: In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) anxiety on pregnant women, whether it causes prenatal distress and may be changes on mother-infant attachment. Method: The research population consists of pregnant women in all trimesters. Exclusion criteria from the study; anomaly risk in the fetus, abnormal examination findings, systemic chronic disease and drug use, presence of diagnosed psychiatric disease, consanguineous marriage between the pregnant woman and her spouse. 323 pregnant women who did not meet these exclusion criteria and agreed to participate in the study were included in this study. In the study data form: Income status, education level, age, gravidity, parity, presence and number of miscarriages, gestational week, smoking status, history of COVID-19 infection, if yes, in which week of pregnancy she had, history of COVID-19 infection in her close family, planned pregnancy, in vitro fertilization-intrauterine insemination (IVF-IUI) or a spontaneous pregnancy status were questionnaired. The patients included in the study were administered the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS), Revised Prenatal Distress Questionnaire (NuPDQ), Prenatal Attachment Scale (PAS). Results: COVID-19 anxiety increases more if close relatives have coronavirus rather than participants themselves. We detected that high coronavirus anxiety also caused an increase in the sub-dimensions of prenatal distress. We also found that high COVID-19 anxiety negatively affects prenatal attachment. Conclusion: Pregnant women should be given information and education about the possible effects of coronavirus on their pregnancy during their routine follow-up during the pandemic period. Otherwise, both psychologically and physically unhealthy generations await the whole world.

Keywords

• Anxiety
• Coronavirus Disease 2019
• COVID-19
• Pregnancy

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