Anxiety in Pregnancy

Anxiety in Pregnancy: When Care Becomes Overwhelming

Worrying about the future child and your own health during pregnancy is absolutely normal and natural. However, when this concern turns into constant, intense fear, intrusive thoughts and physical symptoms, it may be a sign of a prenatal anxiety disorder. This condition is as common as depression, but it is talked about much less, and women often suffer in silence, considering their state "normal maternal anxiety".

How does normal anxiety differ from a disorder?

Normal anxiety is situational and realistic ("Is everything okay on the ultrasound?", "How will the labor go?"). An anxiety disorder is a condition where anxiety becomes a constant background of life, is excessive and irrational.

Symptoms of prenatal anxiety disorder:

• Constant feeling of tension, restlessness, inability to relax.
• Intrusive, catastrophic thoughts that something bad may happen to the baby or to you.
• Constant checking: continuous searching for information online, frequent, unfounded doctor visits.
• Physical symptoms: accelerated heartbeat, shortness of breath, dizziness, trembling, sleep problems (insomnia).
• Panic attacks: sudden episodes of intense fear.

Causes and importance of help

Causes, as with other mood disorders, are complex: hormonal changes, genetic predisposition, previous experiences, stress. It is important to understand that this is not your fault. It is a medical condition that can be successfully treated with psychotherapy and, if needed, medications safe for pregnant women. When left unattended, prenatal anxiety is a significant risk factor for the development of postpartum anxiety. For how to manage stress, read the article "How to cope with stress".