The thrill and excitement of bringing a new life into the world can quickly change for some women as they start to experience worry and doubt about the future, which leads to anxiety. Yet, feeling anxious during pregnancy is completely normal.
It is okay to have concerns about your baby’s health, about whether you will be a good parent, or how your relationship with your partner, family, and friends will change. However, when anxiety persists and becomes the focal point of your day-to-day routines, making it difficult to function, it is time to consider seeking professional anxiety treatment.
Anxiety During Pregnancy
For most women, anxiety usually starts in the first trimester. However, anxiety during pregnancy can begin at any point, even postpartum, after giving birth. According to NCBI, the prevalence of anxiety during any stage of pregnancy, as well as postpartum, for up to six weeks, included these statistics:
- 35.3% of women (one in three) had elevated anxiety levels during pregnancy
- 17.3% experienced anxiety in the early postpartum period
- 20.6% experienced anxiety in the late postpartum period
- 18.8% experience axineity in both early and late postpartum periods
What Causes Anxiety During Pregnancy?
There can be several underlying causes for anxiety during pregnancy, including:
- Previous pregnancy experience: When women have had problems during pregnancy, miscarriages, or other issues, it can create worry and anxiety.
- Hormonal changes: Pregnancy drastically causes hormonal fluctuations, which can impact a woman’s emotions and moods.
- Pregnancy-related concerns: When women worry about how their baby is doing, their health, or whether they will be a good mother, it can create anxiety.
- Daily stressors: Being exposed to stress at work or home, experiencing a stressful life event, not having any support, or having relationship issues can all increase worry and lead to anxiety.
- Existing mental health disorders: When women have existing mental health disorders, even when they are being treated, it can cause worry and anxiety as they often have to discontinue their medications until after giving birth.
- Family history: Some women can become anxious when there is a family history of mental illness, and whether their unborn baby could be affected.
What Are the Symptoms of Anxiety During Pregnancy?
The symptoms of anxiety during pregnancy can and do vary from one woman to the next. Symptoms are also influenced by the type of anxiety disorder the woman is experiencing, such as generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, or specific phobias. Keeping this in mind, common symptoms could include:
- Excessive worry about things you have no control over
- Feeling on edge, nervous, or anxious frequently
- Irritability
- Agitation
- Difficulties concentrating and focusing
- Insomnia
- Restlessness
- Difficulties relaxing
- Experiencing an almost constant sense of anxiousness
- Tingling and numbness in your hands, fingers, toes, feet, arms, or legs.
- Ligheahdedness
- Dizziness
- Elevated heart rate and blood pressure
- Breathing faster than normal
- Feeling faint
- Sweating excessively
- Shortness of breath
- Muscle pain, tension, and aches
- A strange sense of foreboding, like something bad is going to happen
- Avoiding social settings, activities, or people out of fear of experiencing anxiety
- Experience a panic attack
Risk Factors for Anxiety During Pregnancy
Women need to be aware of potential risk factors that could cause them to experience anxiety while they are pregnant or shortly after giving birth, such as:
- Having a current diagnosis of an anxiety disorder, depression, OCD, or another mental health disorder
- Having experienced anxiety during previous pregnancies
- Previous miscarriages
- Fertility issues
- Having complications during a previous pregnancy
- Lack of support from the father, friends, or family members
- Relationship problems
- Unresolved trauma
- Previous or current domestic violence, physical abuse, verbal abuse, or sexual abuse
- Family history of mental health disorders
- Excessive stress at work or home
- An unexpected stressful life event, like the loss of a loved one
- Struggling with alcohol and substance use disorders
Tips for Coping With Anxiety
If you feel like your anxiety is taking control of your daily routines and is all you can think about, you should try one or more of these tips:
- Talk to someone: Discuss your feelings with a close friend, partner, family member, or mental health professional. Talking about your feelings and how your anxiety is affecting you can help bring relief.
- Find activities that help lower anxiety and stress levels: Exercise, yoga, walking, meditation, reading, or other activities that help you unwind and relax reduce anxiety and stress levels.
- Try new things: Try activities that can help your body release endorphins that improve your mood, such as acupuncture, TMS therapy, deep breathing exercises, or massage therapy.
- Get sufficient rest: If you have problems sleeping through the night, consider taking a nap or two to ensure your body gets plenty of restful sleep.
- Try journaling: Writing down your feelings, thoughts, and emotions can be a great way to release anxiety and help you uncover potential triggers.
What Else Helps Anxiety During Pregnancy?
Some professional mental health therapies that help alleviate anxiety while pregnant include:
Contact Montare Behavioral Health to Treat Anxiety During Pregnancy
If anxiety during pregnancy is taking over and affecting your ability to function normally, help is available at Montare Behavioral Health. Whether you have minor, mild, or severe anxiety, we offer comprehensive and personalized anxiety treatment plans tailored to your needs. Our caring and supportive staff help you overcome your anxiety and equip you with effective coping skills to manage your anxiety effectively. Contact us today to schedule an initial consultation or telehealth appointment at one of our treatment centers in California or Arizona.
Published: 5/21/2025
