The Relationship Between Women's Birth Beliefs and Their Depression, Anxiety, Stress, and Pregnancy Avoidance

Year 2022, Volume: 8 Issue: 2, 286 - 296, 31.05.2022

Sümeyye Barut , Esra Güney , Tuba Uçar

https://doi.org/10.19127/mbsjohs.1068103

Abstract

Objective: This study was conducted to determine the relationship between women's birth beliefs and their depression, anxiety, stress, and pregnancy avoidance.
Methods: This web-based study was conducted in Turkey between September 2021 and October 2021. The study was completed with 619 participants. Personal Information Form, Birth Beliefs Scale (BBS), Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-Short Form (DASS), and Desire to Avoid Pregnancy (DAP) were used to collect the data.
Results: The mean scores of women in the Natural and Medical Process Birth Belief (NPBS/MPBS) were determined as NPBS 4.31±0.68, MPBS 3.65±0.69 respectively. It was determined that there was a weak positive relationship between MPBS and DASS-Depression/Anxiety/Stress, and that this relationship was statistically significant (r=0.107, r=0.081, r=0.100, respectively; p<0.05). That the mean MPBS scores of the women who had a low level of education and a high income and were unemployed, and the women using modern family planning methods were statistically higher (p<0.05).
Conclusion: In the study, it was determined that there was a positive relationship between depression, anxiety and stress levels of women who considered birth as a medical process, and that women's medical beliefs about birth affected their education and income levels, employment status and the use of modern family planning.

Keywords

Birth beliefs, Depression, Anxiety, Stress, Pregnancy Intention, Pregnancy Preferences, Woman

Supporting Institution

This study was not supported by any funding

Project Number

-

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