IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v20y2022i1p110-d1010860.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

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
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/1/110/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/1/110/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    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.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Arielle Kaim & Maya Siman-Tov & Eli Jaffe & Bruria Adini, 2021. "From Isolation to Containment: Perceived Fear of Infectivity and Protective Behavioral Changes during the COVID-19 Vaccination Campaign," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-12, June.
    2. Lubna Tannous-Haddad & Dorit Hadar-Shoval & Michal Alon-Tirosh & Kfir Asraf & Orna Tzischinsky, 2022. "Difference between Minorities and Majorities in the Association between COVID-19-Related Stress and Psychological Distress: A Socio-Ecological Perspective and the Moderating Role of Parenthood," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-11, July.
    3. Hadas Marciano & Yohanan Eshel & Shaul Kimhi & Bruria Adini, 2022. "Hope and Fear of Threats as Predictors of Coping with Two Major Adversities, the COVID-19 Pandemic and an Armed Conflict," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-13, January.
    4. Francesca Giorgia Paleari & Irem Ertan & Lucrezia Cavagnis & Silvia Donato, 2023. "Family Resilience and Dyadic Coping during the Outbreak of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Italy: Their Protective Role in Hedonic and Eudaimonic Well-Being," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(18), pages 1-25, September.
    5. Alexander Maget & Melanie Lenger & Susanne A. Bengesser & Armin Birner & Frederike T. Fellendorf & Eva Fleischmann & Jorgos N. Lang & Martina Platzer & Robert Queissner & Michaela Ratzenhofer & Elena , 2022. "Influences of COVID-19 Work-Related Fears and Anhedonia on Resilience of Workers in the Health Sector during the COVID-19 Pandemic," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-12, December.
    6. Bruria Adini & Yoel Cohen & Ahuva Spitz, 2022. "The Relationship between Religious Beliefs and Attitudes towards Public Health Infection Prevention Measures among an Ultra-Orthodox Jewish Population during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-10, March.
    7. Maurizio Gorgoni & Serena Scarpelli & Valentina Alfonsi & Ludovica Annarumma & Elisa Pellegrini & Elisabetta Fasiello & Susanna Cordone & Aurora D’Atri & Federico Salfi & Giulia Amicucci & Michele Fer, 2022. "The Oneiric Activity during and after the COVID-19 Total Lockdown in Italy: A Longitudinal Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-17, March.
    8. Odeya Cohen & Alaa Mahagna & Asmaa Shamia & Ortal Slobodin, 2020. "Health-Care Services as a Platform for Building Community Resilience among Minority Communities: An Israeli Pilot Study during the COVID-19 Outbreak," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(20), pages 1-14, October.
    9. Lina Martínez & Eduardo Lora & Andres David Espada, 2022. "The Consequences of the Pandemic for Subjective Well-Being: Data for Improving Policymaking," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-20, December.
    10. Finiki Nearchou & Ellen Douglas, 2021. "Traumatic Distress of COVID-19 and Depression in the General Population: Exploring the Role of Resilience, Anxiety, and Hope," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-14, August.
    11. Carlos Ruiz-Frutos & Mónica Ortega-Moreno & Adriano Dias & João Marcos Bernardes & Juan Jesús García-Iglesias & Juan Gómez-Salgado, 2020. "Information on COVID-19 and Psychological Distress in a Sample of Non-Health Workers during the Pandemic Period," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-18, September.
    12. Shaul Kimhi & Yohanan Eshel & Hadas Marciano & Bruria Adini, 2021. "Fluctuations in National Resilience during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-11, April.
    13. Ola Ali-Saleh & Ofra Halperin, 2022. "Cross-Sectional Study of Factors Influencing Perceived Threat and Stress among the Arab Minority in Israel during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-11, August.
    14. Shiri Shinan-Altman & Inbar Levkovich, 2022. "Are Personal Resources and Perceived Stress Associated with Psychological Outcomes among Israeli Teachers during the Third COVID-19 Lockdown?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-10, May.
    15. Miri Tal-Saban & Shahar Zaguri-Vittenberg, 2022. "Adolescents and Resilience: Factors Contributing to Health-Related Quality of Life during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-10, March.
    16. Anne Marie Novak & Adi Katz & Michal Bitan & Shahar Lev-Ari, 2022. "The Association between the Sense of Coherence and the Self-Reported Adherence to Guidelines during the First Months of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Israel," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-13, June.
    17. Dicky C. Pelupessy & Yasuhito Jibiki & Daisuke Sasaki, 2022. "Exploring People’s Perception of COVID-19 Risk: A Case Study of Greater Jakarta, Indonesia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-14, December.
    18. Anne Pignault & Emilie Vayre & Claude Houssemand, 2022. "What Do They Want from a Career? University Students’ Future Career Expectations and Resources in a Health Crisis Context," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-17, December.
    19. Yohanan Eshel & Shaul Kimhi & Hadas Marciano & Bruria Adini, 2021. "Morale and Perceived Threats as Predictors of Psychological Coping with Distress in Pandemic and Armed Conflict Times," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-12, August.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2022:i:1:p:110-:d:1010860. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.