A study on the correlation among sleep quality in pregnant women, type 2 diabetes risk scores based on FINDRISC, and pregnancy-related anxiety

Pregnancy-related anxiety is a common mental health issue during pregnancy, affecting at least 10% of expectant mothers. Although psychological and social factors are considered as one of the contributing factors for such situations, the potential association between the risk of type 2 diabetes and pregnancy-related anxiety has not been fully investigated. This study aims to explore the associations among sleep quality, type 2 diabetes risk scores (based on FINDRISC), and pregnancy-related anxiety in pregnant women. This cross-sectional study was conducted from March to December 2024 using convenience sampling to survey 469 pregnant women at a tertiary hospital in Jinzhou City. Data collection utilized demographic data questionnaires, the Pregnancy-Related Anxiety Questionnaire (PRAQ), the Finnish Diabetes Risk Score (FINDRISC), and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The relationships among the variables were analyzed using SPSS 27.0 and AMOS software. The mean ± SD scores for type 2 diabetes risk, sleep quality, and pregnancy-related anxiety were 9.047 ± 7.410, 7.719 ± 5.066, and 31.508 ± 8.170, respectively. Significant differences in pregnancy-related anxiety scores were observed across age groups, gestational weeks, parity, and history of adverse pregnancy and childbirth (all P < 0.05). Higher PSQI scores, indicating greater sleep disturbance, were positively associated with type 2 diabetes risk scores (r = 0.423, P < 0.01) and pregnancy-related anxiety (r = 0.340, P < 0.01). Sleep quality partially mediated the association between type 2 diabetes risk scores and pregnancy-related anxiety (indirect effect β = 0.103, 95% CI [0.057, 0.162]). These findings suggest that screening for type 2 diabetes risk, assessment of sleep quality, and monitoring of pregnancy-related anxiety may be integrated in clinical practice, as these factors may contribute to a comprehensive evaluation of the physical and mental health of pregnant women.