Understanding Pregnancy Anxiety: Concepts, Correlates, and Consequences.

Pregnancy anxiety is a particular emotional state tied to pregnancyspecific concerns, such as worries about the health of the baby and childbirth. A growing body of research demonstrates that pregnancy anxiety is an important risk factor for preterm birth and other adverse birth and child development outcomes. This article defines and describes the concept of pregnancy anxiety, provides a summary of evidence linking pregnancy anxiety to outcomes, and identifies characteristics of women and their pregnancies that contribute to high levels of pregnancy anxiety. The authors also discuss possible clinical implications and interventions to reduce pregnancy anxiety. There are many different reasons why women feel anxious about their pregnancies. a woman who has a medical risk condition such as hypertension or diabetes might worry about the adverse effects on her child and herself. Someone who experienced previous infertility or stillbirths may worry about the viability of the baby. a firsttime mother is likely to worry about the many impending changes to occur in her life, and whether she will be able to care for her baby well, especially if she has limited financial resources or little support from her family. many women also worry about birth defects and whether the baby will be healthy. Pregnancy is a transition period in a woman’s life course characterized by physiological, cognitive, emotional, and social changes, so it is natural that pregnant women are often concerned about the future. However, worries related to the pregnancy can contribute to high levels of pregnancy anxiety, also referred to by researchers as pregnancy-specific or pregnancy-related anxiety. This type of situation-specific anxiety has emerged as one the most potent psychological predictors of adverse birth outcomes and is also implicated in poorer infant and child development. despite its demonstrated importance, pregnancy anxiety is a relatively undeveloped concept in maternal and child health research, and there is no consensus yet regarding how best to define and measure it. Our aim in this article is to remedy this confusion. clearly defining and developing the concept is an essential prerequisite to translating research findings into clinical practice and policy. Before researchers studying pregnancy anxiety can advocate routine prenatal screening and propose evidence-based preconception and prenatal interventions to reduce adverse outcomes, they need to be clear about what they are measuring, what they have found, and why it is so important. This article has four objectives: (a) To define and describe the concept of pregnancy anxiety and its multiple dimensions within the context of the existing literature, (b) to summarize evidence linking pregnancy anxiety to birth outcomes and child development, (c) to present findings that identify characteristics of women and their pregnancies that contribute to high levels of pregnancy anxiety, and (d) to highlight possible clinical implications and interventions. Will my baby be healthy? I am worried about giving birth. Am I going to be a good mother? Copyright © 2014 ZERO TO THREE. All rights reserved. For permission to reprint, go to www.zerotothree. org/permissions