Coping style and anxiety during prenatal diagnosis

Abstract

The anxiety of women undergoing amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling was assessed twice before the procedure was carried out and once just before results were received (n = 37). The possible mediating role of the monitoring coping style was also investigated. As predicted, anxiety levels were normal just after genetic counselling and heightened just before the medical procedure, the latter all the more so for high monitors as compared with low monitors. Unexpectedly, anxiety levels were low a few days before the diagnostic results became available. However, this may have been an artefact of the procedures used in this study. High monitors were more likely to choose chorionic villus sampling rather than amniocentesis which is done later in pregnancy.