Maternal anxiety and depression-the experience of prolonged pregnancy

Summary

In order to study whether or not women with prolonged pregnancy have increased levels of anxiety and depression, a prospective questionnaire based observational study was canied out on 51 consecutive women with pregnancies extending beyond 42 weeks. Anxiety and depression levels were measured using standard jcales; the State-Trait Inventory (STAI) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD); and compared with 51 women with term pregnancy. State anxiety refers to a person's momentary or situational anxiety and it varies in intensity over time and across settings. Trait anxiety. in contrast, refers to one's more stable, characteristic overall level of anxiety. The results showed that the women whose pregnancy lasted more than 42 weeks were more anxious than those who delivered at term (P < O.OOO1). This relates both to their general level of anxiety (Trait anxiety) and to their current level of anxiety (state anxiety). There was no evidence of depressive symptoms in either group of pregnant women. We conclude that pregnancy lasting more than 42 weeks is associated with a significantly high level of anxiety.