ABSTRACT
Women may experience a variety of worries and concerns in associations with pregnancy. Pregnancy in diabetic women makes these worries and concerns endless and intensified. Gathering information about those worries and concerns during pregnancy is required to contribute to the provision of adequate and effectiveness of psychological care that might help in coping more effectively with pregnancy time for diabetic women. This study is concerned with identifying worries and concerns of diabetic pregnant women and assessing their feelings. It was conducted at the out patient obstetrics clinics of three hospitals namely EI-Mainshawy Health Insurance Hospital, Mahala General Hospital, and EI-Aiada El-Shamela in Tanta. The target population of this study consisted of 400 pregnant women. Among the subjects, 200 were diabetic and 200 nondiabetic pregnant women as a control group. Data were collected through three tools: structured worries and concerns questionnaire, feelings word checklist, and Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale. The results of this study yielded that diabetic pregnant women expressed significantly higher negative emotions [fear, anxiety, angry, and sadness] and mixed [happiness and sadness] than nondiabetic [chi[2]=52.370 and 14.148, respectively]. Nondiabetic women had significant higher free anxiety level score than diabetic [chi[2]=28.711]. Among diabetic women, 33% had severe anxiety level. Concern for baby was the highest worry rated by the diabetic women [93%] as compared to 43.5% of nondiabetic women. All diabetic women [100%] were concerned by fear of baby might have diabetes, increase dose of medication, and caesarean section. Applying pregnancy counselling involving all issues specific to the diabetic patient when planning for pregnancy was the main recommendation from this study