Anxiety in Pregnant Women During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Objective: This study systematically reviewed and meta-analysis the prevalence and factors associated with anxiety in pregnant women during the pandemic. Methods: We searched PubMed MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, ProQuest, EBSCO, Science Direct, and Garuda journal databases in July 2021 and updated them in October 2021. All articles from December 2019 and the English and Bahasa Journal articles were included in the search. We included studies that investigate factors affecting anxiety exclusively in pregnant women. The primary outcome was the prevalence ratio. The secondary outcome was the risk and protective factors as the independent variable. Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tools and RevMan 5.4 were used for the analysis. Results: After screening 2082 articles, we included 21 studies with 42.177 pregnant women. The pooled prevalence of anxiety was estimated at 28% (95% CI, 23-33.3). We found that 12 of the 21 studies contributed to 8 risks and one protective factor in the meta-analysis. Not married/divorced/widowed, monthly income < 780 USD, screen time > 3 hours/day, history of exposure to COVID-19, complications in the current pregnancy, sleep less than 7 hours per day, subjective poor sleep quality, and high perception of vulnerability were risk factors. Meanwhile, the protective factor was trust in the government's official media. Conclusion: There is a significant increase in the prevalence of maternal anxiety during the pandemic. Mental health screening during the antenatal visit must be carried out, and interventions to lower the anxiety level must be planned to prevent further harm.