Background: Pregnancy is a unique and exciting time in womens life. Mothers need to maintain perfect health during pregnancy to bring a healthy child to the world. Some studies showed that stress during pregnancy could be associated with many complications such as premature labor, low birth weight, spontaneous abortion, structural malformations, and preeclampsia. However, there is a need for more studies to establish the effects of stress on pregnancy. The present study aimed at exploring the relationship between the level of stress and pregnancy complications in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia.
Methodology: This is a cohort prospective study conducted on 43 pregnant women during 2018-2020, in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. In each trimester, we measured their stress level using a standardized measurement perceived stress scale by Sheldon Cohen. The collected data were analyzed by the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version 21.0.
Results: The high level of stress was significantly higher for those with complications during pregnancy, especially in the first trimester. However, there was no significant relationship between the number of pregnancies, previous miscarriage, maternal age, occupational state, and complications during pregnancy.
Conclusion: The high level of stress in the first trimester was found significant for those with complications during pregnancy. However, the stress level was found to decrease with the duration of pregnancy. The primary prevention and early detection could prevent complications of being stressed during pregnancy.
Key words: Stress, pregnancy, complications
|
