Anxiety and Depression among Pregnant Women during the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Web-Based Cross-Sectional Survey

ABSTRACT

Background: Pregnant women experience heightened symptoms of anxiety and depression substantially during the Covid-19 pandemic which is significantly linked to Covid-19 specific concerns about threats to their own lives, the health of their babies, not getting enough prenatal care, and social isolation. This level far exceeds what is usually expected during pregnancy and that experienced by other groups of people during the current pandemic. Social support and physical activity seem to be became a protective resilience factor. Given the known effects of stress on pregnancy, infant, and child outcomes, there is an urgent need to support pregnant individuals during this critical period to reduce long-term negative outcomes. Research objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of symptoms of anxiety and depression in pregnant women during Covid-19 pandemic and identifying factors that related to depressive anxiety in pregnant women during the Covid-19 pandemic. Research method: Samples were recruited online by inviting pregnant women in Indonesian. The number of participants were 138 participants. The anxiety and depression questionnaire during pregnancy were filled out by respondents online. Bivariate correlation was used to determine factors related to anxiety and depression in pregnant women during the pandemic Covid-19. Regression Logistics was used toidentify the factors that most influence the symptoms of anxiety and depression thatclinically improved. Result(s) A total of 138 pregnant women participated in this study. The majority of the women was 20-35 years old (n = 98, 71%). Fifty percent of the women were married graduated from junior or senior high school (n = 69), with majority (76.8%) of respondents (n = 106) were unemployed. Most of gestational age of pregnant women in the third semester (n = 60, 43.5%), with one child (n = 54, 39.1). There were significant differences in the anxiety (t =-6.14, p = <.001). Conclusion(s) The women who had high depression during Covid-19 pandemic has less likely anxiety than those women who had low depression during Covid-19. Copyright © 2023, Anka Publishers. All rights reserved.