article · BMC Research Notes
Perceived stress during pregnancy can negatively affect both mothers and infants, yet data from developing regions remain limited. An investigation conducted in hospitals across the Bale zone in Southeast Ethiopia surveyed 396 pregnant women to determine stress levels and underlying risk factors. Using the Perceived Stress Scale and structured interviews, the findings revealed that 11.6 percent of the participants experienced perceived stress. Statistical analysis identified two key risk factors significantly linked to maternal stress: having a history of two to five previous pregnancies and being in the early stages of pregnancy, specifically under 12 weeks of gestational age. Although the overall prevalence of stress was found to be relatively low in this population, the results highlight a need for healthcare workers to focus stress screening efforts during the first trimester to mitigate potential adverse outcomes.
Stress during pregnancy can lead to adverse health outcomes for mothers and developing babies. Identifying who is most vulnerable helps healthcare services target their limited resources effectively. By pinpointing early pregnancy and prior pregnancy history as key risk factors, clinics can introduce targeted screening routines to support maternal mental health before complications arise.
The findings provide clinical evidence that could inform the design of targeted maternal mental health screening tools and protocols for healthcare providers in regional hospital settings. This represents early-stage health services research rather than a commercial product. The abstract does not indicate a direct commercialisation pathway or proprietary technology.
AI-generated from the published abstract. Always read the original work before citing.
OBJECTIVES: Even though perceived stresses during pregnancy adversely affect the mother and her baby, there is still a scarcity of data from developing countries including Ethiopia. Therefore, this study assessed the prevalence of perceived stress and associated factors among pregnant women in Bale zone hospitals, Southeast Ethiopia. Cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2016 to April 2017. A total of 396 pregnant women were successfully interviewed using structured and pre-tested questionnaires. Perceived stress scale was employed to assess the women's stress status. A systematic random sampling technique was used. Logistic regression was applied to identify factors associated with perceived stress and statistical significance was considered at p-value < 0.05. RESULTS: In this study, the prevalence of perceived stress among pregnant women was 11.6% (95% CI 8.30, 14.60). Having 2-5 pregnancies previously (AOR = 9.82; CI 1.08, 89.5) and gestational age less than 12 weeks (AOR = 3.53; CI 1.03, 12.08) were associated with perceived stress among pregnant women. In this study, the prevalence of perceived stress among pregnant women was relatively low. Health care providers should give due attention to the screening of stress in the first trimester to reduce the likelihood of pregnancy-specific stress.
This page summarises published work. The authoritative version sits with the publisher.
DOI: 10.1186/s13104-019-4383-0
Is something wrong with this record? Report it or request removal.
Discussion
Have you built on this work, tried to replicate it, or seen it applied in practice? Share what you know. Verified researchers and MARATTO™ domain experts can open a discussion, and any member can reply. Contributions are reviewed before they appear.
No discussion yet. Open the first thread.
New to MARATTO™? Create a free account.
