Variations in stress levels over the course of pregnancy: factors associated with elevated hassles, state anxiety and pregnancy-specific stress

Abstract

This prospective study tracked hassles, pregnancy-specific stress, and state anxiety during pregnancy. A second objective was to identify predictors of each stress dimension. Pregnant women (n=161) completed the Hassles Scale, the Pregnancy-Specific Stress Questionnaire (PEQ), and the state-anxiety scale (STAI-state) monthly, beginning in the third month of pregnancy. Hassles were found to be stable throughout the pregnancy. Women reported significantly higher pregnancy-specific stress in the first and third trimester of pregnancy, whereas state anxiety increased in the third trimester compared with the first and second trimesters. Poorer marital adjustment predicted higher Hassles during pregnancy and higher PEQ and STAI-state in the third trimester. Women who reported that the pregnancy would have a negative impact on their career scored higher on Hassles during pregnancy and higher on the PEQ in the third trimester. The occurrence of a gestational complication during pregnancy was related to higher pregnancy-specific stress in the third trimester. Younger women also reported higher PEQ results in the third trimester. The data provide support for a multidimensional conceptualization of stress during pregnancy.