The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Stress Levels of Pregnant Women

Year 2024, Volume: 34 Issue: 3, 351 - 357, 30.06.2024

Candan Ersanlı , Çağla Yiğitbaş

https://doi.org/10.54005/geneltip.1425976

Abstract

Aim: This study aims to determine the effects of the COVID-19 process on pregnant women in the second and third trimesters, as well as the stress they have experienced and their health behaviors.
Material and Methods: The research is of descriptive cross-sectional type. The sample size was calculated using the G*Power program. Necessary permissions were obtained for the research.
Due to restrictions in the data collection time period (November 2020-April 2021), 204 participants were reached by convenience sampling method using the online survey tool. A survey form consisting of three parts was used as a data collection tool. Personal information form including questions about sociodemographic characteristics, birth history, pregnancy and pandemic; Pregnancy Stress Rating Scale and Coronavirus Anxiety Scale were employed. High scores on the Pregnancy Stress Rating Scale indicate an increased level of stress during pregnancy. A high score on the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale indicates a high level of anxiety experienced during the coronavirus. In the study, number and percentage values were given, regression and correlation analysis and nonparametric tests were performed.
Results: It was found that pregnant women experienced moderate stress during the COVID-19 pandemic, and some obstetric characteristics such as gestational week, having problems in this and previous pregnancies, feeling fear of delivery, and having problems in previous delivery affected stress and COVID-19 anxiety. It has been observed that future anxiety increases in pregnant women who consider the measures taken as inadequate. The mean scores of the scales used in the study are 42.99 ± 24.58 (Min-max: 6-116, median: 40) for Pregnancy Stress Rating Scale, 2.60±3.26 (Min-max: 0-19, median: 2) for Coronavirus Anxiety Scale.
Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the factors contributing to increased stress and anxiety in pregnant women.

Keywords

Anxiety, COVID-19, pandemic, pregnant woman, stress

Ethical Statement

Ethics committee approvals were received for this study from the Ministry of Health Scientific Research Platform (03.06.2020) and the Clinical Research Ethics Committee of Giresun University (09.11.2020/12). Pregnant women were informed within the scope of the Declaration of Helsinki principles. Approvals were obtained from the researchers who conducted the validity and reliability study of the measurement tools. The literature used is shown in the references section.

COVID-19 Salgınının Gebelerin Stres Düzeylerine Etkisi

Abstract

Amaç: Bu çalışma, COVID-19 sürecinin ikinci ve üçüncü trimesterdeki gebeler üzerindeki etkilerinin yanı sıra yaşadıkları stres ve sağlık davranışlarının belirlenmesini amaçlamaktadır.
Materyal ve Metod: Araştırma, tanımlayıcı kesitsel tiptedir. Örneklem büyüklüğü G*Power programı kullanılarak hesaplanmıştır. Araştırma için gerekli izinler alınmıştır. Veri toplama zaman dilimindeki (Kasım 2020-Nisan 2021) kısıtlamalar nedeniyle çevrimiçi anket aracı kullanılarak kolayda örnekleme yöntemiyle 204 katılımcıya ulaşılmıştır. Veri toplama aracı olarak üç bölümden oluşan anket formu kullanılmıştır. Sosyodemografik özellikler, doğum öyküsü, gebelik ve pandemiye ilişkin soruların yer aldığı kişisel bilgi formu, Gebelik Stres Derecelendirme Ölçeği ve Coronavirüs Kaygı Ölçeği. Gebelik Stres Derecelendirme Ölçeğinde yüksek puanlar gebelik sırasında artan stres düzeyini göstermektedir. Coronavirüs Kaygı Ölçeği puanının yüksek olması ise koronavirüste yaşanan kaygı düzeyinin fazla olduğunu göstermektedir. Araştırmada sayı ve yüzde değerleri verilmiş, regresyon ve korelasyon analizi ile nonparametrik testler yapılmıştır.
Bulgular: Gebelerin COVID-19 salgını sırasında orta düzeyde stres yaşadıkları ve gebelik haftası, bu gebeliğinde ve önceki gebeliğinde sorun yaşamış olma, doğuma yönelik korku hissetme, önceki doğumunda sorun yaşamış olma gibi bazı obstetrik özelliklerin stres ve COVID-19 kaygısını etkilediği saptanmıştır. Alınan önlemleri yetersiz gören gebelerde gelecek kaygısının arttığı görülmüştür. Çalışmada kullanılan ölçeklerin ortalama puanları Gebelik Stresini Değerlendirme Ölçeği için 42,99 ± 24,58 (Min-max: 6-116, medyan: 40), Koronavirüs Anksiyete Ölçeği için 2,60 ± 3,26 (Min-max: 0-19, medyan: 2) olarak belirlenmiştir.
Sonuç: COVID-19 salgını gebe kadınlarda stres ve kaygı düzeyinin artmasında etkili faktörlerden biridir.

Keywords

Anksiyete, COVID-19, pandemi, gebe kadın, stres

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