Common stressors reported by a group of childbearing American women.

A study was conducted on a group of 221 women (81 in the first trimester, 80 in the third trimester, and 60 in the postpartum period) to identify stressors common to pregnancy and to quantify their intensity using an interval rating scale. The most frequent stressors were related to physical symptoms, body image, baby welfare, changes in living patterns, emotional disturbances, and pregnancy-technological concerns. Stressors of high intensity targeted the baby's welfare, labor and delivery, pregnancy, newborn behaviors, and relationship with the baby's father. The frequency and intensity of stressors changed across pregnancy and postpartum, suggesting a need to tailor prenatal care to the different childbearing phases. Additional findings suggest that the normal physical changes of pregnancy can trigger disruptions in body image, relationship with the baby's father, and emotional functioning.