anxiety during pregnancy: a risk factor for neonatal physical outcome?

anxiety during pregnancy: a risk factor for neonatal physical outcome? alipour z1, lamyian m*2, hajizadeh e3 received: 25 april, 2010 accepted: 27 july, 2010 abstract background & aims: antenatal maternal anxiety is common during pregnancy and may have side effects on mother and neonate. the aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between maternal anxiety and neonatal outcomes in nulliparous women. materials & methods: in this analytical prospective study 156 pregnant women were studied in qom health care centers. anxiety was assessed using a self-administered spielberger's state-trait anxiety questionnaire (stai) at 28th and 38th weeks of pregnancy. then time of delivery, height and head circumference of neonates, fetal growth restriction, respiratory distress, low birth weight and apgar score of neonates were obtained from the women’s clinical records. the data were analyzed using logistic regression test, chi-square, and fisher exact. results: the findings indicate that there is no significant relationship between the rate of fetal growth restriction, preterm labor and low apgar score at the 28th and 38th weeks of pregnancy in anxious and non anxious women (p>0.05). conclusion: the results of this study revealed that anxiety does not directly affect the health of a baby. finally, anxiety during pregnancy is an independent risk factor that may affect pregnancy outcomes. keywords: anxiety, preterm labor, apgar score, fetal growth restriction address: reproductive health &midwifery; department, tarbiat modarres university, al-ahmad ave, tehran, iran tel: (+98) 21 82883809 email: [email protected]