Do stress and anxiety in early pregnancy affect the progress of labor: Evidence from the Wirral Child Health and Development Study

ConclusionsContrary to general belief, general anxiety and specific pregnancy stress were not directly linked to longer duration of stage one labor. However specific pregnancy stress was associated with epidural use, which in turn was significantly associated with risk of augmentation, and longer stage one labor. Identification of pregnancy ‐specific stress could help to identify women for whom psychological interventions could improve birth experience.

Source: Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica - February 5, 2021 Category: OBGYN Authors: Pauline Slade, Kayleigh Sheen, Andrew Weeks, Susan Wray, Leonardo De Pascalis, Karen Lunt, Carol Bedwell, Belinda Thompson, Johnathan Hill, Helen Sharp Tags: ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research