Perceived loneliness, depression, fear of birth and related factors in pregnant women

Objective: To determine perceived loneliness, depression, fear of birth and related factors in pregnant women. Material and Methods: This analytical-cross-sectional study was performed in Pamukkale University Healthcare Research and Training Center between July 2022 and May 2023. The study population included all pregnant women presenting to the center and the study sample included 335 pregnant women (n=335). Data were collected with a descriptive characteristics form, The Social and Emotional Loneliness Scale, The Beck's Depression Inventory and The Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Scale-A. Obtained data were evaluated with percentages, mean, standard deviation, minimum-maximum values. Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was utilized to test the normality of the data. Normally distributed data were evaluated with Student t-test, One-Way ANOVA and Pearson correlation test. Tukey test was employed for Post hoc analysis. Results: The mean age of the women was 29,9±5,19 years (min:19; max:44) and 39,4% were aged 25-29 years. Also, 39,1% were high school graduates. The mean score on the Social and Emotional Loneliness Scale was 31,128±20,01 and the mean scores on its subscales of social loneliness, emotional-family loneliness and emotional-romantic loneliness were 10,35±6,86, 9,84±7,61 and 10,93±7,88 respectively. The mean scores on the Beck's Depression Inventory and The Wijma Expectancy/Experience Scale-A were 12,22±13,12 and 35,29±37,01respectively. Social and emotional loneliness had a high, positive correlation with Depression and fear of birth. Depression had a very high, positive correlation with the fear of birth (p=0,000). The women who graduated from primary school/secondary school, were unemployed, had a perceived low income, were married for six years or more and had literate spouses or spouses graduating from primary/secondary school had significantly higher levels of loneliness (p<0,05). The women who had gestation of 37 weeks or more, two pregnancies, one delivery and one live child, did not receive education about delivery during their pregnancy and had poor/moderate compatibility with their spouses had significantly more severe loneliness (p<0,05). Conclusion: The pregnant women had mild social/emotional loneliness, depression and fear of birth, but as their loneliness increased so did their fear of birth. Key Words: Depression, Fear of Birth, Loneliness, Pregnant.