Dataset Information

Treatment-Associated Anxiety among Pregnant Women and their Partners: What is the Influence of Sex, Parity, Age and Education?

ABSTRACT:

Background

Anxiety during pregnancy can influence outcomes negatively. The aim of this study was to assess the fears of expectant parents in the setting of antenatal and obstetric care according to their sex, age, parity and education.

Methods

259 pregnant women and 183 partners, who had presented for antenatal investigation, routine antenatal care or for delivery in the UKSH women's hospital, Lübeck campus, completed a self-assessment questionnaire of fears and the German version of the STAI (Laux et al.). ANOVA and t-tests were used for significance testing.

Results

Pregnant women had higher levels of trait anxiety and state anxiety than their partners. Level of education had a significant, inverse effect on trait anxiety. Age had no influence. Fears for the child's health ranked highest among pregnancy-specific fears. Expectant fathers had the same level of anxiety for the birth irrespective of parity; for women fear of the birth decreased with increasing parity. Anxiety only increased significantly for expectant fathers from the 20th week of gestation onwards.

Conclusions

Pregnant women and their partners have different levels of anxiety dependant on their age, education, parity and the stage of pregnancy. These findings could contribute towards improving support of couples during pregnancy. The fears of expectant fathers require particular attention.

SUBMITTER: Kannenberg K

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5001573 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Treatment-Associated Anxiety among Pregnant Women and their Partners: What is the Influence of Sex, Parity, Age and Education?

Kannenberg K K Weichert J J Rody A A Banz-Jansen C C

Geburtshilfe und Frauenheilkunde 20160701 7

<h4>Background</h4>Anxiety during pregnancy can influence outcomes negatively. The aim of this study was to assess the fears of expectant parents in the setting of antenatal and obstetric care according to their sex, age, parity and education.<h4>Methods</h4>259 pregnant women and 183 partners, who had presented for antenatal investigation, routine antenatal care or for delivery in the UKSH women's hospital, Lübeck campus, completed a self-assessment questionnaire of fears and the German version ...[more]

PMID: 27582579

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Project description:The composition of the vaginal microbiota is heavily influenced by pregnancy and may factor into pregnancy complications, including spontaneous preterm birth. However, results among studies have been inconsistent due, in part, to variation in sample sizes and ethnicity. Thus, an association between the vaginal microbiota and preterm labor continues to be debated. Yet, before assessing associations between the composition of the vaginal microbiota and preterm labor, a robust and in-depth characterization of the vaginal microbiota throughout pregnancy in the specific study population under investigation is required. Here, we report a large longitudinal study (n = 474 women, 1,862 vaginal samples) of a predominantly African-American cohort-a population that experiences a relatively high rate of pregnancy complications-evaluating associations between individual identity, gestational age, and other maternal characteristics with the composition of the vaginal microbiota throughout gestation resulting in term delivery. The principal factors influencing the composition of the vaginal microbiota in pregnancy are individual identity and gestational age at sampling. Other factors are maternal age, parity, obesity, and self-reported Cannabis use. The general pattern across gestation is for the vaginal microbiota to remain or transition to a state of Lactobacillus dominance. This pattern can be modified by maternal parity and obesity. Regardless, network analyses reveal dynamic associations among specific bacterial taxa within the vaginal ecosystem, which shift throughout the course of pregnancy. This study provides a robust foundational understanding of the vaginal microbiota in pregnancy and sets the stage for further investigation of this microbiota in obstetrical disease. IMPORTANCE There is debate regarding links between the vaginal microbiota and pregnancy complications, especially spontaneous preterm birth. Inconsistencies in results among studies are likely due to differences in sample sizes and cohort ethnicity. Ethnicity is a complicating factor because, although all bacterial taxa commonly inhabiting the vagina are present among all ethnicities, the frequencies of these taxa vary among ethnicities. Therefore, an in-depth characterization of the vaginal microbiota throughout pregnancy in the specific study population under investigation is required prior to evaluating associations between the vaginal microbiota and obstetrical disease. This initial investigation is a large longitudinal study of the vaginal microbiota throughout gestation resulting in a term delivery in a predominantly African-American cohort, a population that experiences disproportionally negative maternal-fetal health outcomes. It establishes the magnitude of associations between maternal characteristics, such as age, parity, body mass index, and self-reported Cannabis use, on the vaginal microbiota in pregnancy.

Dataset Information

Treatment-Associated Anxiety among Pregnant Women and their Partners: What is the Influence of Sex, Parity, Age and Education?

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Treatment-Associated Anxiety among Pregnant Women and their Partners: What is the Influence of Sex, Parity, Age and Education?

Similar Datasets

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