The relationship between sexual function and mental health in Iranian pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Sexual function, a significant contributor to quality of life, is affected by various factors, including overall mental health. COVID-19 is a current pandemic that influences the mental health of various populations, especially pregnant women. Despite the importance of sexual health, the specific nature of its relationship to overall mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic is not clearly defined. Thus, this study investigates the relationship between sexual function and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic in Iranian pregnant women. METHODS: This descriptive-analytical, cross-sectional study was carried out among 437 pregnant women using the sociodemographic and obstetrics characteristics questionnaire, Female Sexual Function Inventory, Stress, Depression, and Anxiety Scales. Random sampling was employed to select pregnant women who had a medical record in Health Centers of Tabriz city, Iran. The questionnaires were sent to the participants' cell phones via WhatsApp or text messages, including links of questionnaires and the participants completed these questionnaires. Spearman correlation test was used to determine the relationship between sexual function and stress, anxiety, and depression. Generalized linear modeling was used to estimate each of the independent variables (sociodemographic characteristics, stress, anxiety, and depression) on the dependent variable (sexual function). RESULTS: The mean (Standard Deviation) sexual functioning (total) score was 20.0 (8.50) from the available range of 2 to 36. The mean (SD) of depression, stress, and anxiety scale was 4.81 (5.22), 5.13 (4.37), and 7.86 (4.50) (possible score ranging from 0 to 21), respectively. Based on Spearman's correlation test, there was a significant reverse correlation between the total sexual function score and stress, anxiety, and depression, indicating that all three variables negatively impacted sexual functioning. Variables such as mild stress, spouse type of job, sufficient household income, living with parents, higher marital satisfaction, and higher gestational age had a significant, positive impact on sexual function and could predict 35.8% of the variance model. CONCLUSIONS: Sexual functioning was significantly impacted by stress, anxiety, and depression - all of which are heightened during a pandemic. This topic warrants further study, and the general public should be educated on the protective influence of safe sex/intimacy on overall mental health.

Depression, stress, anxiety and their predictors in Iranian pregnant women during the outbreak of COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Pregnancy as a sensitive period of a woman's life can be affected by various psychological factors that can have adverse effects on the woman, her fetus and future baby. Since COVID-19 is a new phenomenon with limited information available, it may have adverse psychological effects on pregnant women. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the status of depression, stress, anxiety and their predictors in Iranian pregnant women during the outbreak of COVID-19. METHODS: This descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study was performed on 205 pregnant women covered by Tabriz health centers in Iran. The sampling method used was cluster sampling. The data collection tool was the socio-demographic characteristics questionnaire and the DASS-21 (Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21), which were completed online by pregnant women. The general linear model was used to determine the predictive factors of depression, anxiety and stress. RESULTS: The mean (SD) score of depression, stress, and anxiety were 3.91 (3.9), 6.22 (4.25), and 3.79 (3.39), respectively; the score range of 0 to 21. Depression, stress, and anxiety symptoms were observed in 32.7, 32.7, and 43.9% of the participants, respectively, with varying degrees from mild to very severe. Based on the adjusted general linear model, variables of education level, spouse's job and marital life satisfaction were the predictors of depressive symptoms. Variables of spouse's education level, spouse's support, marital life satisfaction and the number of pregnancies were the predictive factors of anxiety symptoms and the variables of spouse's education level, household income sufficiency, spouse's support and marital life satisfaction were predictors of stress symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Considering the role of marital life satisfaction, high level of spouse's education and income in reducing symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression in pregnant women in critical situations such as the prevalence of COVID-19, it seems that using strategies to promote marital life satisfaction and socio-economic status can play an effective role in controlling anxiety and reducing stress and depression in pregnant women.