A psychosomatic intervention in pregnant in-patient women with prenatal somatic risks

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

Abstract

PURPOSE: This study examined whether a short-term psychosomatic intervention during pregnancy had effects on characteristics of labour and delivery as well as on the long-term course of anxiety, depression and physical complaints in pregnant in-patient women.

METHODS: All gynaecological and obstetric inpatients of a university hospital, who had either exhibited complications during their pregnancy or were considered high-risk pregnancies, were examined. Symptoms of anxiety and depression (HADS) and physical symptoms (GBB) were assessed by standardised questionnaires. Women with elevated scores on either the HADS or the GBB were randomly assigned to either a treatment group, which had received a psychosomatic intervention or an untreated control group. Of the n = 238 women who were assessed during their stay in our hospital, n = 135 were included in the follow-up 1-year later.

RESULTS: More than one-third of the participants (38.7%) had elevated scores of anxiety, depression and/or physical symptoms. The psychosomatic intervention had a significant effect on anxiety scores (p = 0.006), but not on depression scores, physical complaints and characteristics of labour and delivery.

CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that a short-term psychosomatic intervention can have a positive long-term effect on anxiety symptoms. Future studies are needed to show whether the reduction of anxiety symptoms in turn can lead to a reduction of postnatal complications and lower rates of disturbed mother-child interactions.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)188-98
Number of pages11
JournalJournal of psychosomatic obstetrics and gynaecology
Volume31
Issue number3
Publication statusPublished - Sept 2010
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

Scopus 77955905566

Keywords

Keywords

  • Analysis of Variance, Anxiety/psychology, Chi-Square Distribution, Depression/psychology, Female, Humans, Inpatients/psychology, Pregnancy, Pregnancy, High-Risk/psychology, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Psychotherapy, Brief, Surveys and Questionnaires, Treatment Outcome