ABSTRACT
Four months after the first case of COVID-19 was diagnosed in Wuhan, the national epidemic has been effectively controlled in China. In Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan Province, several management measures, which have been proven to be effective, are taken to prevent pregnant women from being infected with COVID-19. Firstly, Chengdu formulated and issued the "Working Opinions on the Management of Maternal Women during the Epidemic Period of COVID-19 Infection" immediately after the outbreak. Secondly, some basic information of pregnant women returning from high-risk areas and countries is requested to be reported on a daily basis. Thirdly, a group of experts in Obstetrics, Pediatrics and Hospital Infection Management supervise the implementation of the COVID-19 health care services for pregnant women in primary care institutes. Fourthly, the list of health institutes providing services for confirmed and suspected cases was determined and announced to the public by the government promptly. Additionally, the prevention of mother to infant transmission of HIV is continually strictly practiced during the period of the COVID-19 epidemic. Lastly, all inpatients in the health facilities of Chengdu, including maternity hospitals, are required to have a COVID-19 RT-PCR test to further prevent nosocomial infection. Now, many people living in high-risk countries are coming to Chengdu, and it is therefore necessary to make the prevention and control measures a long-term process.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a public health emergency of international concern and poses a threat to the mental health of pregnant women. AIM: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between social support and anxiety, and the mediating effect of risk perception during the COVID-19 epidemic in the third trimester pregnant women in Qingdao, China. METHODS: From 16 to 21 February 2020, an online survey was conducted, which collected the information on demographic data, anxiety, social support and risk perception to COVID-19 of women with established medical records in the ambulatory of the Department of Obstetrics at the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University. Anxiety was assessed by the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), social support was assessed by the Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS) and risk perception was assessed by a self-designed questionnaire. RESULTS: This study had 308 participants with an average of 31.02 ± 3.91 years. During the period of prevention and control of the epidemic, most pregnant women adopted protective measures, such as wearing masks (97.4%), washing hands frequently (88.3%) and staying at home (76.3%). The average SAS, SSRS and risk perception scores of the participants were 42.45 ± 6.98, 44.60 ± 7.00 and 21.60 ± 5.74, respectively. The total effect of maternal social support on anxiety was -2.63 (95% confidence interval (CI): -4.40 ~ -1.44, p < .001), the direct effect was -1.44 (95% CI: -2.74 ~ -0.35, p < .05) and the indirect effect was -1.19 (95% CI: -2.49 ~ -0.51, p < .001). CONCLUSION: The third trimester pregnant women had a high level of social support, a medium level of risk perception to COVID-19 and were susceptible to anxiety. Risk perception played a mediating role between social support and anxiety.