Anxiety Level among Primigravida andMultigravida Regarding Minor Discomforts (Comparative Study)

Abstract

Background: pregnancy accompanied by many changes in the woman's body leads to many discomforts called "minor disorders that occur during the pregnancy and make them very stressful. Respond to this stress by feeling anxious which may be influenced on the woman herself and her baby and require self-care for preserving health and well-being. The study aimed to compare anxiety level among primigravida and multigravida pregnant women regarding minor discomforts at the antenatal outpatient clinic at Bani-Suif University Hospital. Design: A comparative research design was used for the study. Sample: A purposive sample included 500 pregnant women from primigravida and multigravida pregnant women within six months, from May 2018, until October 2018. Tools: A structured interviewing questionnaire was used for data collection and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Results: Pregnant women were mostly between 22 < 26 years in primigravida and the same in multigravida, it was observed that more than half of them had severe anxiety level in primigravida and about two thirds in multigravida. There were significant differences between the level of BAI scores regarding minor discomforts among primigravida and multigravida pregnant women at (p = < 0.001). Conclusion: It was found the majority of multigravida pregnant women have experienced high and severe anxiety and fear scores regarding minor disorders compared to primigravida pregnant women regarding minor discomforts. Recommendations: provide pregnant women with instructional guidelines about the minor disorders attended the antenatal clinics to improve their knowledge and practice regarding minor discomforts.