Anxiety indicators for women in the postpartum period

Abstract

Situations, which are dangerous and sad, provoke state anxiety (S-anxiety), but trait anxiety (T-anxiety) shows anxiety like person’s acquired behavioural disposition. The aim was to evaluate postpartum anxiety indicators of women that have had the vaginal birth and women that have had surgery in Riga regional medical institutions that provide obstetric services. Respondents – 100 women (50 – with vaginal birth; 50 – with caesarean section surgery) were surveyed by 2 instruments: the demographic survey and the state – trait anxiety inventory, STAI Form Y-1 (Spielberger et al., 1983, adapted in Latvian by Škuškovnika (2004). The results reflect the statistical difference between State anxiety indicators (S-anxiety) of women that have had the vaginal birth (M=35.38; SD= 9.98) and women that have had the surgery (M=37.20; SD= 9.41) was not found (p=0.304). Indicators of Trait anxiety (T-anxiety) show that there was not statistically significant (p=0.059) difference between women that have had the vaginal birth (M=36.92; SD= 7.81) and women that have had the surgery (M=39.24; SD= 7.56), however, it should be noted that the average anxiety scores were higher after surgery.