FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO STRESS AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN ATTENDING ANTENATAL CLINIC AT REDEEMER HOSPITAL AND MATERNITY, ABAKPA NIKE, ENUGU

Abstract

Pregnancy is a normal life event, yet it is a period in a woman’s life when her vulnerability exposes her to significant amount of stress and anxiety. The focus of this study was to determine factors that contribute to stress among pregnant women attending Enugu. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. Eighty pregnant women were studied. Questionnaire was the instrument used for data collection. It has two sections A and B. The reliability of the instrument was determined. Analysis of data was done using frequency and percentages. The findings of the study revealed that the respondents agreed to the articulate physical and physiological factors that contribute to stress in pregnant women with aggregate percentage of 54.6%. Their responses to the domestic factors that contribute to stress among pregnant women was positive with aggregate percentage of 56.5%; and economic and emotional factors were 76% and 61.5% respectively. Based on the findings, it was recommended that adequate measures should be taken by government and other stakeholders to help the pregnant women reduce stress during pregnancy in order to curb the ill effect of stress on both the mother and her baby; women should be empowered financially to reduce stress during pregnancy.