Maternal mid- and late-pregnancy distress and birth outcome: A causal model of the mediatory role of pregnancy-specific distress

Background: There is lack of information about the effect of general distress and pregnancy-specific distress in mid- and late-pregnancy separately on neonatal outcome.
Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the effects of mid-maternal distress on late-maternal distress and birth outcomes with a causal model of relationships among general distress and pregnancy-specific distress.
Materials and Methods: In this longitudinal descriptive study, 100 low-risk pregnant women participated. Participants completed three questionnaires at mid-pregnancy (13–26 wk) and at late pregnancy (27–40 wk). Pregnancy-general distress was assessed by the Perceived Stress Scale and the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale. Pregnancy-specific distress was evaluated by the Prenatal Distress Questionnaire. The pregnant women were followed to after birth and neonatal outcome were assessed.
Results: All total effect pathways were significant as predictors of birth outcomes (height, weight, and head circumference). Mid-pregnancy-specific distress had a significant relationship with late pregnancy-specific distress. However, mid-maternal distress was not related directly to birth outcomes. The effect of mid-maternal distress on birth outcomes was related indirectly to late-maternal distress. Both late general distress and late pregnancy-specific distress had direct negative effects on three indexes of birth outcome. The negative effect of late general-pregnancy distress and mid-pregnancy-specific distress on birth outcome was mediated through late pregnancy-specific distress.
Conclusion: Both late pregnancy-general distress and pregnancy-specific distress have negative effects on birth outcomes. These findings support a role for negative effect as mediating the relationship between late pregnancy-specific distress and birth outcomes.