Pregnancy-related anxiety among Chinese pregnant women in mid-late pregnancy under the two-child policy and its significant correlates.

BACKGROUND

Pregnancy-related anxiety (PRA) is a global public health concern. This study aims to understand the PRA among Chinese pregnant women at mid-late pregnancy and to explore the significant correlates.

METHODS

The Chinese PRA scale was used to measure PRA among 342 pregnant women from Zhejiang Province in China at their mid- and late- pregnancy respectively.

RESULTS

The participants aged from 21 to 42 years old, and their mean age was 30. 1 (SD=4. 0). The average scores of the Chinese PRA scale at mid- and late- pregnancy were 1. 60 (SD=0. 33) and 1. 58 (SD=0. 33) respectively. Unplanned pregnancy (mid-pregnancy: β=0. 18, p<0. 001; late-pregnancy: β=0. 11, p = 0. 024) and gender of the first child being male (mid-pregnancy:β=-0. 20, p = 0. 001; late-pregnancy: β=-0. 14, p = 0. 016) were significantly correlated with PRA among pregnant women at mid- and late- pregnancy. Living with parents-in-law was not associated with the PRA overall and domain scores.

LIMITATIONS

This study was done among pregnant women at their mid-late pregnancy, and no follow-up was conducted at postpartum. The sample size of this study was relatively small which might affect the generalizability of the findings.

CONCLUSIONS

The current study found that the correlates of PRA at mid- and late-pregnancy were generally similar. For future studies, special attention should be paid to pregnant women who are in the condition of unplanned pregnancy and those who already have a female child to relieve their anxiety levels.