A Preliminary Investigation of Prenatal Anxiety Sensitivity and Postpartum Distress

Distress during pregnancy and postpartum is common and contributes to poor infant and maternal outcomes, such as developmental delays and mental health disorders, respectively. Anxiety sensitivity, or fear of the symptoms of anxiety (eg, palpitations, confusion), is a risk factor known to increase distress across psychological and health-related conditions. Given the physiologic and emotional changes that occur during the perinatal period, anxiety sensitivity may be a salient risk factor for maternal distress. In this pilot study, we aimed to understand the unique role of prenatal anxiety sensitivity in postpartum psychological and parenting distress.

Twenty-eight pregnant women (mean age, 30.86 years) were recruited from the community in a Southeastern metropolitan area of the United States. Participants completed self-report measures during their third trimester of pregnancy and again within 10 weeks postpartum. The Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales-21 and the Parenting Distress subscale of the Parenting Stress Index-4-Short Form were the primary postpartum outcome measures.

Prenatal anxiety sensitivity was elevated in this sample relative to convenience samples. Prenatal anxiety sensitivity uniquely contributed to postpartum psychological (b, 1.01; P < .001) and parenting distress (b, 0.62; P = .008), after accounting for age, gravidity, and gestation.

Albeit preliminary, results suggest prenatal anxiety sensitivity may be an important and malleable risk factor associated with several mental health concerns common in the perinatal period. Anxiety sensitivity may be targeted with brief interventions to prevent or reduce postpartum distress. Reducing prenatal anxiety sensitivity has the potential prevent the onset or worsening of psychological disorders among women and, in turn, may improve infant and child outcomes. Future studies should replicate these findings in a larger sample.