Anxiety, depression, worry, and stress-related perceptions among antenatal women during the COVID-19 pandemic: Single group repeated measures design

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has rapidly spread across the globe, which has affected the health of all populations including antenatal women. AIMS: The aim of the study was to evaluate the levels of anxiety, depression, stress, and worry in antenatal women during COVID-19 compared with the pre-COVID-19 levels and to evaluate the associations between the sociodemographic factors of antenatal women and Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS)-D, HADS-A, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)-7, Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and Brief Measure of Worry Severity (BMWS) scores. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This single group repeated measures design was conducted on 101 antenatal women who were referred to outpatient antenatal clinics from January 2020 (pre-COVID-19) to April 2020 (during the COVID-19 pandemic). Data were collected using four questionnaires including the HADS, GAD-7 scale, PSS, and BMWS. RESULTS: Antenatal women (n = 101, M(age) = 32.73 years, standard deviation = 5.67) during COVID-19 demonstrated significantly increased (P < 0.001) levels of anxiety, depression, stress, and worry compared with pre-COVID-19 levels. Multiple regression analysis indicated that panic disorder was significantly associated with HADS, PSS, and BMWS scores; pregnancy complications were significantly associated with HADS scores; associated health problems were significantly associated with PSS and BMWS scores; and current anxiety, depression, stress, and worry were significantly associated with HADS, GAD-7, and BMWS scores in antenatal women during COVID-19. CONCLUSION: Increased attention should be paid to the psychological health of antenatal women during this COVID-19 pandemic. Proper management of this current catastrophe is likely to result in global changes in social experiences, and interventions are necessary to address associated changes in mental health, especially among antenatal women.