Investigation of Stress and the Factors Affecting Stress in Pregnant Women

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate stress and the factors affecting stress in pregnant women. Method: This research was carried out in a state hospital in Kütahya province, and the data were collected between January 2021 and June 2021. The universe of the study consisted of 629 pregnant women who applied to the hospital in 2019. The minimum sample size of the study was determined as 238 women, using the known formula (n=629), with a standard deviation of 5% and a confidence interval of 95%. In the study, data were collected online with pregnant women who applied to the hospital using the women's introductory characteristics questionnaire, risk assessment form, and the Pregnancy Stress Rating Scale. Results: In this study, it was determined that 31.1% of the pregnant women had a risky pregnancy. The mean total score of the Pregnancy Stress Rating Scale was determined as 43.3±17.2. The total mean score of the scale was found to be statistically significantly higher in women who were 27 years of age or younger, who had a nuclear family, who lived in the city center, and who had problems during pregnancy. The mean stress from seeking safe passage for mother and child through pregnancy, labor, and delivery score was statistically significantly higher in risky pregnant women (11.9±3.6) than in non-risky pregnant women (8.9±4.1). Conclusion: Providing the necessary psychological and medical support to women experiencing stress during pregnancy may help pregnant women and babies to spend this period more positively. Keywords: Stress in pregnancy, high-risk pregnancies, pregnancy stress rating scale, factors affecting stress.