The pregnant women's perception of risks and pregnancy stress levels: a cross-sectional study from Turkey

Abstract

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare pregnant women's perceptions of risk and pregnancy-specific stress levels. METHODS: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with 410 healthy pregnant women at the city hospital located in the east of Turkey. Data were collected via Personal Information Form, Perception of Pregnancy Risk Questionnaire, and Pregnancy Stress Rating Scale. RESULTS: The pregnancy risk perception mean score was 2.43±1.82, and the pregnancy-specific stress mean score was 22.27±12.67. There is a statistically significant and strong positive correlation between the perception of pregnancy risk and pregnancy-specific stress level (p<0.01). Pregnant women's pregnancy risk perception decreased as the duration of marriage and the number of living children increased, and it increased as the gestational week increased (p<0.05). Pregnancy-specific stress decreased as the duration of marriage (p<0.001), the age of the spouse, the number of pregnancies, and the number of living children increased (p<0.01), and it increased as the gestational week increased (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: The pregnant women's perceptions of pregnancy risks and pregnancy-specific stress were low, but pregnancy-specific stresses increased as their perceptions of pregnancy risks increased.