Investigation of the relationship between pregnant people's perceptions of traumatic birth and pregnancy-related anxiety and depression levels

This research was conducted cross-sectionally to examine the relationship between pregnant women's perceptions of traumatic birth and pregnancy-related anxiety and depression levels. The research was conducted with 384 pregnant women who applied to the obstetrics and gynecology polyclinics of Ankara Atatürk Sanatoryum Training and Research Hospital between November 2023 and March 2024. Data were collected using the Personal Information Form, Traumatic Birth Perception Scale (TDAÖ), Pregnancy Related Anxiety Scale (GAÖ-R2), Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDÖ). Descriptive statistics (number, percentage distributions, mean, median, standard deviation), independent groups t test and Mann Whitney-U test were used to evaluate the data. The average age of the pregnant women participating in the study is 28,16±5,48. It was determined that 37,2% of the pregnant women had an education level of university or above, 77,9% were not working, 60,2% expressed their income level as equal to their income and expenses, and 86,5% had a nuclear family. The average number of pregnancies among pregnant women is 2,20±1,19. It was determined that 66,4% of the pregnant women planned their pregnancy, 74.0% had a desired pregnancy, 39,1% had their first pregnancy and 60,7% received information about the birth. Pregnant women's total mean score from TDAS is 58,02±28,78, their total mean score from VAS-R2 is 28,38±8,93 and their total mean score from EPDS is 9,72±5,79. A positive, statistically significant relationship was found between pregnant women's TDAÖ total score averages and GAÖ-R2 sub-dimensions, GAÖ-R2 total and EDPÖ total score averages (p<0.001). As pregnant women's perception of traumatic birth increases, pregnancy-related anxiety levels and depression levels also increase. At the same time, as pregnancy-related anxiety levels of pregnant women increase, their depression levels also increase. Pregnant women can be supported to screen for risk factors such as traumatic birth perception, anxiety and depression, and to receive training/consultancy services to raise awareness of pregnant women.