J Nurs Acad Soc.  1980 Dec;10(2):1-12.

A Study on Fear and Anxiety of Pregnant Women

• Kang JH

Abstract

The process of having baby including pregnancy, labor and birth is considered as crises of life cycle. It is noted that most pregnat women experience fear and anxiety through the gestational period and this may effect to the health of the baby and the mother. Therefore we, nurses must focuse on this fear and anxiety of pregnant women and make an effort to relieve their emotional discomfort. This study was conducted to determine the pregnant women's intensity of fear and anxiety during pregnancy thus to provide some information for maternal care in terms of antenatal care. The specific objectives of this study are : 1. to determine what are the most frequently experienced fear and anxiety and how frequently the pregnant women perceive them as a fearful and anxious experience. 2. to find out the relations between the intensity of fear and anxiety of pregnancy and the demographic characteristics of the subjected women During the period May 15,1960 to June 4, 1980, 212 pregnant were asked to question are by trained student mures who visited to 4 obstetric clinic for antenatal care in C-city. The questionare were designed and and scheduled by author which covers 38 items about fears and anxiety during pregnancy and each item was answered by 5 seales according to it's intensity. The result analysed as percentile, mean and S.D.statistically and obtained as follows 1) The mean age was 27,4 years, the proportion of women completed high school are 45.3%, and 51.4% has no religion. 2) 68.6% seplied "positive"response about fears and anxiety during pregnancy. 3) Fear relevant to pain, particularly during labor noted most frequent rate. 4) Social factors may relate to the intensity of the fears or anxiety further more socioeconomic problem take important role and affects to the expectant women, 5) Primiaravida noted more fears and anxiety about pregnancy compared to multigravida and more intensity during aerly half gestational period than late. Majority of pregnant women have experienced fear and anxiety attendant upon pregnancy and so nurse can help the patient to be able experience tha difficult adjustment to be course of pregnancy and be able to get good result both fetus and mother through antenatal care.

MeSH Terms

Anxiety*
Female
Fetus
Humans
Life Cycle Stages
Mothers
Parturition
Pregnancy
Pregnant Women*