Anxiety and feelings toward their baby among pregnant women with uterine leiomyomas

Pregnant women with uterine leiomyomas may experience anxiety toward their pregnancies and unfavorable feelings toward their infants. From March to July 2010, we distributed anonymous self-recorded questionnaires to 200 pregnant women who visited Okayama Central Hospital for an antenatal check-up after informed consent was provided, and 132 women (23 pregnant women with uterine leiomyomas) were included in our study. Among the multiparous women in their first trimester, the women with uterine leiomyomas had a higher rate of anxiety than those without uterine leiomyomas. Avoidance' scores on the Feeling Toward the Baby Scale were significantly higher in the leiomyoma group. The conflict index scores tended to be higher in the leiomyoma group. A multivariate analysis revealed no factors associated with trait-anxiety scores, whereas high state-anxiety scores were correlated with low age; however, there was no correlation between these scores and uterine leiomyomas. Although no factors were associated with State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and approach scores toward the baby, avoidance and conflict index scores were associated with the existence of uterine leiomyomas. In pregnant women with uterine leiomyomas, efforts should be made to reduce anxiety in the first trimester, and support should be provided to help these women develop positive feelings toward their babies.