open access

Vol 93, No 2 (2022)
Research paper
Published online: 2021-12-07
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Expectations of pregnant women for antenatal care services and factors affecting anxiety severity during the COVID-19 pandemic

Pınar Kumru1, Yeliz Doğan Merih2, Mikail Özdemir3, Münip Akalin1, Ebru Cogendez1
·
Pubmed: 35072249
·
Ginekol Pol 2022;93(2):142-150.
Affiliations
  1. University of Health Sciences , Zeynep Kamil Women and Children’s Disease Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Türkiye
  2. University of Health Sciences Hamidiye Nursing Faculty / Turkey Institutes of Health Presidency, Istanbul, Turkey
  3. Osmaniye Community Health Center, Osmaniye, Turkey

open access

Vol 93, No 2 (2022)
ORIGINAL PAPERS Obstetrics
Published online: 2021-12-07

Abstract

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the difficulties pregnant women encountered while receiving health care, their demands for antenatal care, and their mental state during the COVID-19 pandemic. Material and methods: A total of 447 pregnant women were included in this cross-sectional study. The data were collected through a face-to-face questionnaire, which assessed participants’ demographic, individual, and obstetric characteristics, their opinions regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, expectations from their antenatal care services, and their Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) scores. Results: During the COVID-19 pandemic, it was determined that 17.2% of the pregnant women participating in our study could not go to antenatal follow-ups and almost half (45.9%) demanded that their follow-ups be reduced due to the risk of coronavirus transmission. The BAI scores were found to be significantly higher in participants with low-income levels, chronic diseases, those in the third trimester, those with high-risk pregnancy either previous or current, and those who got pregnant unintentionally. Young age, unintentional conception, advanced pregnancy week, previous high-risk pregnancy, and failure to receive regular antenatal care were independent variables that predicted moderate-severe anxiety in logistic regression analysis. Conclusions: In order to minimize the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of pregnant women, it is important to develop support programs that contribute to the well-being of the mother and fetus by recognizing the pregnant women at risk in the antenatal period.

Abstract

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the difficulties pregnant women encountered while receiving health care, their demands for antenatal care, and their mental state during the COVID-19 pandemic. Material and methods: A total of 447 pregnant women were included in this cross-sectional study. The data were collected through a face-to-face questionnaire, which assessed participants’ demographic, individual, and obstetric characteristics, their opinions regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, expectations from their antenatal care services, and their Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) scores. Results: During the COVID-19 pandemic, it was determined that 17.2% of the pregnant women participating in our study could not go to antenatal follow-ups and almost half (45.9%) demanded that their follow-ups be reduced due to the risk of coronavirus transmission. The BAI scores were found to be significantly higher in participants with low-income levels, chronic diseases, those in the third trimester, those with high-risk pregnancy either previous or current, and those who got pregnant unintentionally. Young age, unintentional conception, advanced pregnancy week, previous high-risk pregnancy, and failure to receive regular antenatal care were independent variables that predicted moderate-severe anxiety in logistic regression analysis. Conclusions: In order to minimize the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of pregnant women, it is important to develop support programs that contribute to the well-being of the mother and fetus by recognizing the pregnant women at risk in the antenatal period.

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Keywords

antenatal care; anxiety; Beck Anxiety Inventory; coronavirus; COVID-19; pandemic

About this article
Title

Expectations of pregnant women for antenatal care services and factors affecting anxiety severity during the COVID-19 pandemic

Journal

Ginekologia Polska

Issue

Vol 93, No 2 (2022)

Article type

Research paper

Pages

142-150

Published online

2021-12-07

Page views

5488

Article views/downloads

828

DOI

10.5603/GP.a2021.0179

Pubmed

35072249

Bibliographic record

Ginekol Pol 2022;93(2):142-150.

Keywords

antenatal care
anxiety
Beck Anxiety Inventory
coronavirus
COVID-19
pandemic

Authors

Pınar Kumru
Yeliz Doğan Merih
Mikail Özdemir
Münip Akalin
Ebru Cogendez

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