Table 1: distribution of subjects based on socio demographic characteristics n = 150 Variables Frequency Percentage (%) Age in years
a. 18-25 years 57 38
b. 26-35years 83 55.3
c. >35years 10 6.7
Indian Journal of Public Health Research & Development, April-June 2018, Vol.9, No. 2 45 Contd…
education a. Primary
education 2 1.33
b. Secondary
education 24 16
c. Higher secondary education
53 35.33
d. Graduate/Post
graduate 71 47.33
Occupation
a. Working 48 32
b. Non- working 102 68
Type of work
a. Sedentary 103 68.66
b. Moderate 45 30
c. Heavy 2 1.34
Parity
a. Primigravida 80 53.34
b. Multigravida 70 46.66
Type of stay a. Staying in
hostel 10 6.67
b. Staying with
family 135 90
c. Others 5 3.33
Source of information about antenatal care Health
personnel 50 33.33
Family 90 60
Friends 5 3.33
Media 3 2
Others 2 1.34
Are you physically disabled
a. Yes 3 2
b. No 147 98
Out of 150 antenatal mothers majority of (55.3%) belongs to age group between26 – 35 years. Regarding education, almost half of the mothers (47.33%) were graduate, 68% were non-working, and 68.66% were sedentary workers. More than half of the antenatal
mothers were primigravida (53.34%) and 90% were staying with family. Among them, 60% attained information about antenatal care from their family and 98 % were physically fit.
Figure 1: Pie Chart on stress level on antenatal mothers
The study findings revealed that half of the subjects 51% had average to high level of stress, and 49% had low to very low level of stress during antenatal period.
( Fig:1.)
Comparison of stress among three different trimesters.
Figure 2: Comparison of level of stress among three different Trimesters
The study findings revealed that most of the mothers (64%) with average level of stress was among second trimester. while comparing stress among three different trimesters, most of the first trimester mothers 23 (46%) had average of stress, majority of second trimester 32(64%) had average level of stress and 21 mothers (42%) among third trimester had average level of stress.
(Figure: II).
46 Indian Journal of Public Health Research & Development, April-June 2018, Vol.9, No. 2
Table 2: Association between antenatal stress and selected demographic variables n = 150
Variables PSS
Very low + low PSS
Average + high df X2 Value P value Age
<25 28 (49.1%) 29(50.9%) 1 0.002 0.986
>25 46 (49.5%) 47(50.5%)
education
Secondary 14(56%) 11(44%)
2 0.805 0.669
Higher Secondary 24(45.3%) 29(54.7%)
Graduate and above 36(50%) 36(50%)
Occupation
Working 20(41.7%) 28(58.3%) 1 1.660 0.198
Non working 54(52.9%) 48(47.1%)
Type of Work
Sedentary 57(55.3%) 46(44.7%)
1 4.745 0.029
Moderate + Heavy 17(36.2%) 30(63.8%)
Parity
Primigravida 38(47.5%) 42(52.5%) 1 0.231 0.631
Multigravida 36(51.4%) 34(48.6%)
Type of Stay
Without Family 8(53.3%) 7(46.7%)
1 0.107 0.744
With Famil 66(48.9%) 69(51.1%)
Source of Information about antenatal care
Health person 23(46%) 27(54%)
2 0.693 0.707
Family 45(50%) 45(50%)
Others 6(60%) 4(40%)
bad Obstetric history
Present 63(52.1%) 58(47.9%)
1 1.870 0.123
Absent 11(37.9%) 18(62.1%)
Data in table 3 shows that there was significant association between the level of antenatal stress and type of work, X2(1)=4.745, (p = 0.029). However no association was found between antenatal stress and selected variables like age, education, occupation, parity, type of stay, source of information about antenatal care and bad obstetric history. Therefore it can be stated that type of work has a direct influence on the stress experienced by antenatal women.
dISSCuSSION
Stress during pregnancy may lead to several problems to the mother and unborn child. Stress reacts physically, mentally and emotionally to the various condition. The present study reveals that 51% had
average to high level of stress, and 49 % had low to very low level of stress. Another study conducted by Maria Pais et al to investigate stress in antenatal women among 160 mothers revealed that 33.1% had moderate to severe level of stress and 66.9% had no to mild level of stress respectively2.
The finding of the present study reveals that there is a difference in the level of stress in different trimesters.
It is identified that comparatively higher level of stress (64%) was among second trimester mothers. Another study conducted in a major Maternity Governmental hospital in southern state of Kerala, India by G.K Madhavanprabhakaran revealed that highest prevalence of pregnancy-specific anxiety (PSA) was reported during the third trimester of pregnancy. This difference
Indian Journal of Public Health Research & Development, April-June 2018, Vol.9, No. 2 47 may be due to the influence of extraneous variables
like economic status, education, etc9. Another study conducted by B. Prasad Babu to study the level of stress during the first, second and third trimester identified that there is no difference in the level of stress among the pregnant women irrespective of their period of pregnancy10. The reason may be the fears, anxieties and risk involved Number of Pregnancy in pregnancy. In all stages of pregnancy, common syndromes can occur, i.e., pain in lower back, cramps, edema, and insomnia and of stress among the pregnant women irrespective of number of nightmares, varicose veins etc.
It is also identified that in the present study, that there is significant association between the level of stress among mothers and type of work. Another Study conducted my Maris Pais, on the other hand showed significant association between the level of stress and gravid, educational status and monthly income1
CONCluSION
Pregnancy is a physiological process but giving birth to a child requires strength both mentally and physically. Each mother while pregnant goes through sires of events that cause stress in her life. It can arise from various situations like her economic status, lack of knowledge or support, type of work, parity etc. This stress regardless of its severity may adversely affect the health of both the mother and infant. Therefore measures must be taken during the time of pregnancy like providing psychological support, antenatal check – ups, counselling, family support, etc. to reduce the level of stress among antenatal mothers.
Conflict of Interest: There is no conflict of interest.
Financial Support: Nil
ethical Clearence: Obtained from Research committee of Amrita College of Nursing and Institutional Ethics Committee of Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi.
ReFeReNCeS
1. Stress during pregnancy (online)2010 march, p – no 264(cited URL:http/(www.coaltionofwomen.
org/articles/stressduring/pregnancyhttm
2. Pais, Maria and Pai, Muralidhar V and Kamath,Asha and George,Anice .Stress among antenatal women in India. International Journal of Nursing Care,2(2).pp.63-671.
3. World Health Organization. Why do so many women still die in pregnancy or child birth(online).2015Nov12;Avilable from:URL:http://www.who.int/features/qa/12/en/
4. Kwadabeka Community Health Centre,Incidence of Obstetric and Foetal Complications during Labor and Delivery at a Community Health Centre, Midwives Obstetric Unit of Durban, South Africa,Obstet Gynecol. 2011; 2011: 259308 5. Van Bussel JC,Spitz B,Demyttenaere K. Women’s
mental health before, during, and after pregnancy:
a population – based controlled cohort study.
Birth 33:297-302.
6. Vijay p, Sharma phD, mind publication stress and coping during pregnancy can affect child’s health, 2008, 24-28
7. Kanth JM, Sumathy S, Sreedhari S, Rajammal B, Usha MG, Sheejamol VS. Comparative study of cesarean myomectomy with abdominal myomectomy in terms of blood loss in single fibroid. Journal of Obstetrical and Gynecology India 2016;66: 287-291. Setting
8. C Sheldon. Perceived Stress Scale,1994:http://
www.mindgarden.com/132-percived-stress-scale 9. GK Madhavanprabhakarana, MD Sheila.
Prevalence of pregnancy and associated factors.
International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences.
July03;2015.
10. B Prasad,S Mohan.Stress among pregnant women.Indian J of Health and Wellbeing.2012;3(3):754-756
11. Udayan S, Viswanath L, Varghese L. Awareness regarding antenatal investigations among antenatal mothers attending selected tertiary hospital, Kochi, Kerala. J SAFOG 2014;6(3):129-132.