Evaluation of Anxiety and Depression Levels in High-Risk Pregnancies During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Their Approaches to Vaccination: A Case-Control Study

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Anxiety and depression are associated with the interaction of many social factors, but pregnancy and puerperium are periods when patients are particularly sensitive to depression and anxiety. Assessing the level of anxiety and depression in high-risk pregnancies during the pandemic process and their attitudes toward vaccination.

STUDY DESIGN: In a case-control study, the Beck Depression and Beck Anxiety Scales were administered to 62 high-risk pregnant women and 296 normal pregnant women who registered at our hospital. At the end of the entire quarantine period and the use of the vaccine in our country, all patients were called and asked whether they had been vaccinated.

RESULTS: Anxiety and depression scores of normal patients were higher than those of patients in the risk group (p=0.002 and p<0.001, respectively). The anxiety and depression scores of the normal pregnant patients who were treated as outpatients were higher than those of the patients who were treated as inpatients (p=0.003 and p<0.001, respectively). Depression scores of patients in the last trimester of pregnancy were higher than those of patients at a smaller gestational age (p=0.009). Looking back to the pandemic period after vaccine discovery, depression scores of high-risk pregnant women were found to be higher and those who had a normal pregnancy had higher anxiety and depression scores (p=0.002, p<0.001, p<0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: Hospitalization had different effects on high-risk and normal pregnant women; while hospitalization increased anxiety in high-risk pregnancies, outpatient follow-up increased anxiety and depression in the normal group.