Mothers' Worries During Pregnancy: A Content Analysis of Reddit Posts
Abstract:
Qualitative investigations into maternal worries during pregnancy are limited. The aim of this study was to identify the content of women's pregnancy-related worries by completing a content analysis of posts on Reddit. A total of 217 posts by 196 unique users were analyzed. Most worries related to infant factors (32.6%), individual factors (27.1%), and antenatal care factors, such as medical procedures (25.2%). The remaining worries related to situational factors (10.9%) and the partner relationship (4.3%). Although most fears related to fetal well-being, other concerns included problems with family members, women's own mental health, and not being a "good mother." These findings support calls for antenatal education to more adequately address women's psychosocial concerns.
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Anxiety: Overview
Individuals with anxiety often experience a range of physical and emotional symptoms, including sweating, trembling, tachycardia, and disturbances in sleep patterns. These symptoms vary in intensity and frequency but are generally disruptive and distressing.


