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Contributors to COVID-19-Related Childbirth Anxiety among Pregnant Women in Two Pandemic Waves

Author

Listed:
  • Orit Taubman–Ben-Ari

    (The Louis and Gabi Weisfeld School of Social Work, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290001, Israel)

  • Miriam Chasson

    (The Louis and Gabi Weisfeld School of Social Work, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290001, Israel)

  • Hilit Erel-Brodsky

    (The Louis and Gabi Weisfeld School of Social Work, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290001, Israel)

  • Salam Abu-Sharkia

    (The Louis and Gabi Weisfeld School of Social Work, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290001, Israel)

  • Vera Skvirsky

    (The Louis and Gabi Weisfeld School of Social Work, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290001, Israel)

  • Eran Horowitz

    (The Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
    Maccabi Healthcare Services, Tel Aviv 6812509, Israel)

Abstract

COVID-19 has impacted all levels of daily life for people everywhere, with particularly serious implications for pregnant women. This paper examines the COVID-19-related childbirth anxiety (CCA) of Israeli women in the first two waves of the pandemic. We first present two psychotherapeutic case studies with pregnant women in the two waves. This is followed by an empirical study that compared the contribution of background variables, psychological distress, economic concerns, and personal resources to CCA in two samples, Wave 1, March–April 2020 ( n = 403) and Wave 2, September–October 2020 ( n = 1401), and two subpopulations, Jewish and Arab women. Findings reveal that CCA was significantly lower in Wave 2 than in Wave 1. Furthermore, poorer health, higher education, being an Arab, later gestational week, at-risk pregnancy, wave, higher psychological distress, greater economic concerns, and lower self-compassion contributed to higher childbirth anxiety. Wave moderated the association between optimism and anxiety. The findings of the empirical study, together with insights from the case studies, provide evidence of a decrease in CCA later in the crisis, and indicate the significance of resources for coping with the psychological implications of the pandemic. Moreover, they suggest the importance of empowering self-reliance techniques, such as self-compassion, which was significantly associated with lower anxiety, above and beyond the background and psychological variables. Clinical Impact Statement: Using both psychotherapeutic cases and empirical findings, this study points to the risk and resilience factors that contributed to pregnant women’s COVID-19-related childbirth anxiety (CCA) in the first two waves of the pandemic. The study suggests that CCA was higher in the first wave, as well as among women from a minority group. At the same time, the research shows that resilience resources of optimism and self-compassion contributed to the reduction of anxiety. These findings may guide interventions for the vulnerable group of pregnant women in times of crisis.

Suggested Citation

  • Orit Taubman–Ben-Ari & Miriam Chasson & Hilit Erel-Brodsky & Salam Abu-Sharkia & Vera Skvirsky & Eran Horowitz, 2022. "Contributors to COVID-19-Related Childbirth Anxiety among Pregnant Women in Two Pandemic Waves," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-14, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2022:i:1:p:110-:d:1010860
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Shaul Kimhi & Yohanan Eshel & Hadas Marciano & Bruria Adini, 2020. "Distress and Resilience in the Days of COVID-19: Comparing Two Ethnicities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-11, June.
    2. Shaul Kimhi & Yohanan Eshel & Hadas Marciano & Bruria Adini, 2020. "A Renewed Outbreak of the COVID−19 Pandemic: A Longitudinal Study of Distress, Resilience, and Subjective Well-Being," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-13, October.
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