Factors associated with pregnancy-related anxiety in Tanzanian women: a cross sectional study

Objective: To identify factors predictive of pregnancy-related anxiety (PRA) among women in Mwanza, Tanzania.

Design: A cross-sectional study was used to explore the relationship between psychosocial health and preterm birth.

Setting: Antenatal clinics in the Ilemela and Nyamagana districts of Mwanza, Tanzania.

Participants: Pregnant women less than or equal to 32 weeks' gestational age (n=212) attending the two antenatal clinics.

Measures: PRA was measured using a revised version of the 10-item PRA Questionnaire (PRA-Q). Predictive factors included social support (Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support), stress (Perceived Stress Scale), depression (Edinburg Postpartum Depression Scale) and sociodemographic data. Bivariate analysis permitted variable selection while multiple linear regression analysis enabled identification of predictive factors of PRA.

Results: Twenty-five per cent of women in our sample scored 13 or higher (out of a possible 30) on the PRA-Q. Perceived stress, active depression and number of people living in the home were the only statistically significant predictors of PRA in our sample.

Conclusions: Our findings were contrary to most current literature which notes socioeconomic status and social support as significant factors in PRA. A greater understanding of the experience of PRA and its predictive factors is needed within the social cultural context of low/middle-income countries to support the development of PRA prevention strategies specific to low/middle income countries.