Prenatal ultrasonographic detection of fetal structural anomaly may adversely affect maternal mental health throughout pregnancy, particularly in the current COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to prospectively assess maternal stress, anxiety, and depression following ultrasonographic detection of fetal structural anomaly from diagnosis until delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 141 pregnant women at a tertiary hospital who underwent detailed scans between 16 and 24 gestational weeks were included and categorized into the study (anomaly finding, n = 65) and comparison (normal finding, n = 76) groups. Self-administered questionnaires of 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) were used to assess maternal stress, anxiety, and depression at prior detection (T 1 ), two-to-four weeks post-detection (T 2 ), one-to-two weeks prior to delivery (T 3 ), and one-to-two weeks post-delivery (T 4 ). Repeated measures of analysis of variance (ANOVA) were conducted to assess time-, between-group, and time–group interaction effect. In general, maternal stress improved, but anxiety worsened, while depression persisted, over the time from T 1 to T 4 . The average maternal stress and anxiety levels were significantly higher among groups with fetal anomaly. The maternal stress and anxiety level were significantly affected within one-to-two weeks post-detection of fetal structural anomaly. In conclusion, maternal mental health parameters were affected differently during the COVID-19 pandemic, with higher vulnerability of stress and anxiety among pregnant women with fetal structural anomaly particularly within one-to-two weeks post-detection.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, pandemic, Anxiety, Depression, Stress, mental health, Malaysia, Ultrasound, fetal structural anomaly, repeated measures ANOVA, 【초록키워드】 COVID-19 pandemic, hospital, Diagnosis, pregnant women, Pregnancy, scale, group, questionnaire, anxiety levels, analysis of variance, Anomaly, anxiety level, repeated measures, average, measure, Perceived Stress Scale, PSS-10, variance, interaction effect, ANOVA, parameter, HADS, 10-item Perceived Stress Scale, Affect, affected, significantly, conducted, were used, significantly higher, groups, fetal, T 3, worsened, 【제목키워드】 detection, Maternal,