Frequency of Anxiety in Pregnant Women in COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional study from Tertiary Care Hospital in Peshawar
Keywords:
COVID-19, Pregnant Woman, Anxiety, Pandemic, PeshawarAbstract
Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak a global pandemic and put forward various strategies to combat these infectious diseases, which pose a significant threat to the entire world. This crucialdeclaration reshaped lives worldwide, imposing a multitude of restrictions and necessitating lifestyle modifications.Objective: Objective of the present study was to determine the COVID-19 anxiety level in pregnant women who presented to an outpatient or inpatient department during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methodology: A cross-sectional study was carried out at Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar, which involved the participation of 520 pregnant women with COVID-19 infection. This study was conducted between September 2020 and October 2021. Data were collected using a specifically designed form, and the Anxiety Inventory (CAS) was employed to assess the anxiety levels among the participants. SPSS version 23 were used data analysis.Results: In the present study, we examined anxiety levels among 520 pregnant patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. We found that a significant portion of these women experienced anxiety, with 36.5% having no anxiety symptoms, 34.2%experiencing mild anxiety, 26.7% moderate anxiety, and 1.7% severe anxiety. Several demographic characteristics were associated with higher anxiety levels. Patients over the age of 36, those with a primary or secondary level of education,housewives, individuals in nuclear families, those residing in rural areas, multiparous mothers, and those in their third trimester were more likely to report higher levels of anxiety.Conclusions: In conclusion, this study point out the crucial aspect of the COVID-19pandemic specially on pregnant women. While the prevalence of anxiety in pregnant women was not be significantly high, but it remains a concerning issue. The results emphasize how urgently pregnant women experiencing such unusual conditions require specialized social and psychological support networks.References
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