ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we define pregnancy-related anxiety as an affective state involving concerns or worries about a woman’s current pregnancy and her labor, delivery, and unborn child. We distinguish pregnancy-related anxiety from the interrelated concepts of prenatal distress and prenatal stress, and we discuss the evolution of the study of this concept. We suggest that definitional and measurement issues have complicated the advancement of a better understanding of pregnancy-related anxiety. Despite ambiguity surrounding the precise meaning of pregnancy-related anxiety in the perinatal health literature, evidence suggests that it reliably predicts adverse birth and child outcomes. Using a conceptual framework as a guide, we review predictors of pregnancy-related anxiety and highlight a few emerging biological and behavioral mechanisms. Further, we emphasize that cultural factors may influence the prevalence and consequences of pregnancy-related anxiety among women from diverse backgrounds and geographies. We end with avenues for translational research that may improve screening and intervention for pregnancy-related anxiety, thereby contributing to improved global health for women and their offspring.
