Impact of knowledge, attitude and anxiety levels about COVID-19 on the quality of life in pregnant women

Year 2021, Volume: 5 Issue: 11, 1121 - 1125, 01.11.2021

Şefik Gökçe , Dilşad Herkiloğlu

https://doi.org/10.28982/josam.975044

An Erratum to this article was published on May 1, 2022. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/josam/issue/69778/1118688

Abstract

Background/Aim: Depression and anxiety during pregnancy can lead to pregnancy-related maternal or fetal complications if they are severe or persistent. Therefore, it is important to identify pregnant women who are significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, take the necessary measures or implement rehabilitation programs. This study aimed to determine the feelings, thoughts, attitudes, beliefs, concerns and levels of general depression and anxiety in pregnant women caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and examine the factors that cause mental health disorders.
Methods: A total of 85 pregnant women who were followed up in the Gynecology and Obstetrics clinics of our hospital and who were never infected with COVID-19 were included in this cross-sectional study. Pregnant women were asked to fill out a questionnaire about the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and the Short Form 12-Item Health Survey (SF-12) questionnaires.
Results: According to the BDI, 9.4% of the pregnant women had moderate depression, while none had severe depression. According to BAI, 12.9% had moderate anxiety, and 4.7% had severe anxiety. BDI (P=0.001) and BAI (P=0.022) scores were significantly higher, and SF-12 physical role (P=0.004) and SF-12 social functioning (P=0.02) scores were significantly lower in those with a high level of anxiety for their unborn baby.
Conclusion: Our findings show that depression and anxiety levels in pregnant women have been high during the COVID-19 pandemic, and that pregnant women are concerned about their own and their babies’ health. Anxiety and depression levels affect the attitude and belief of pregnant women, and all these mental health deteriorations decrease their quality of life.

Keywords

Pregnant, COVID-19, Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Short Form-12 Health Scale.

References

• 1. Stamu-O'Brien C, Carniciu S, Halvorsen E, Jafferany M. Psychological aspects of COVID-19. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2020;19:2169-73.
• 2. Rahman J, Muralidharan A, Quazi SJ, Saleem H, Khan S. Neurological and Psychological Effects of Coronavirus (COVID-19): An Overview of the Current Era Pandemic. Cureus. 2020;12:e8460.
• 3. Kotlar B, Gerson E, Petrillo S, Langer A, Tiemeier H. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal and perinatal health: a scoping review. Reprod Health. 2021;18:10.
• 4. Hessami K, Romanelli C, Chiurazzi M, Cozzolino M. COVID-19 pandemic and maternal mental health: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2020 [Epub ahead of print] doi: 10.1080/14767058.2020.1843155.
• 5. Berthelot N, Lemieux R, Garon-Bissonnette J, Drouin-Maziade C, Martel É, Maziade M. Uptrend in distress and psychiatric symptomatology in pregnant women during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2020;99:848-55.
• 6. Wu Y, Zhang C, Liu H, et al. Perinatal depressive and anxiety symptoms of pregnant women during the coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak in China. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2020;223:240.e1-240.e9.
• 7. Lebel C, MacKinnon A, Bagshawe M, Tomfohr-Madsen L, Giesbrecht G. Elevated depression and anxiety symptoms among pregnant individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. J Affect Disord. 2020;277:5-13.
• 8. Rashidi Fakari F, Simbar M. Coronavirus Pandemic and Worries during Pregnancy; a Letter to Editor. Arch Acad Emerg Med. 2020;8:e21.
• 9. Jackson-Koku G. Beck Depression Inventory. Occup Med (Lond). 2016;66:174-5.
• 10. [Wang YP, Gorenstein C. Psychometric properties of the Beck Depression Inventory-II: a comprehensive review. Braz J Psychiatry. 2013;35:416-31.
• 11. Julian LJ. Measures of anxiety: State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety (HADS-A). Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) 2011;63:467-72.
• 12. Smarr KL, Keefer AL. Measures of depression and depressive symptoms: Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2011;63:454-66.
• 13. Huo T, Guo Y, Shenkman E, Muller K. Assessing the reliability of the short form 12 (SF-12) health survey in adults with mental health conditions: a report from the wellness incentive and navigation (WIN) study. Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2018;16:34.
• 14. Busija L, Pausenberger E, Haines TP, Haymes S, Buchbinder R, Osborne RH. Adult measures of general health and health-related quality of life: Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36-Item (SF-36) and Short Form 12-Item (SF-12) Health Surveys, Nottingham Health Profile (NHP), Sickness Impact Profile (SIP), Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 6D (SF-6D), Health Utilities Index Mark 3 (HUI3), Quality of Well-Being Scale (QWB), and Assessment of Quality of Life (AQoL). Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2011;63:S383-412.
• 15. Ayaz R, Hocaoğlu M, Günay T, Yardımcı OD, Turgut A, Karateke A. Anxiety and depression symptoms in the same pregnant women before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. J Perinat Med. 2020;48:965-70.
• 16. Durankuş F, Aksu E. Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on anxiety and depressive symptoms in pregnant women: a preliminary study. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2020 [Epub ahead of print] doi: 10.1080/14767058.2020.1763946.
• 17. Farrell T, Reagu S, Mohan S, Elmidany R, Qaddoura F, Ahmed EE, et al. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the perinatal mental health of women. J Perinat Med. 2020;48:971-6.
• 18. Dagklis T, Tsakiridis I, Mamopoulos A, Athanasiadis A, Papazisis G. Anxiety During Pregnancy in the Era of the COVID-19 Pandemic. https://ssrn.com/abstract=3588542.doi: 10.2139/ssrn.3588542
• 19. Salehi L, Rahimzadeh M, Molaei E, Zaheri H, Esmaelzadeh-Saeieh S. The relationship among fear and anxiety of COVID-19, pregnancy experience, and mental health disorder in pregnant women: A structural equation model. Brain Behav. 2020;10:e01835.
• 20. Kajdy A, Feduniw S, Ajdacka U, et al. Risk factors for anxiety and depression among pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic: A web-based cross-sectional survey. Medicine (Baltimore). 2020;99:e21279.
• 21. Moyer CA, Compton SD, Kaselitz E, Muzik M. Pregnancy-related anxiety during COVID-19: a nationwide survey of 2740 pregnant women. Arch Womens Ment Health. 2020;23:757-65.
• 22. Yassa M, Birol P, Yirmibes C, et al. Near-term pregnant women's attitude toward, concern about and knowledge of the COVID-19 pandemic. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2020;33:3827-34.
• 23. Corbett GA, Milne SJ, Hehir MP, Lindow SW, O'connell MP. Health anxiety and behavioural changes of pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2020;249:96-7.
• 24. Effati-Daryani F, Zarei S, Mohammadi A, et al. Depression, stress, anxiety and their predictors in Iranian pregnant women during the outbreak of COVID-19. BMC Psychol 2020;8:99.