Prenatal and postnatal anxiety in Mexican women giving birth in Los Angeles.

Examined psychosocial factors related to pre- and postnatal anxiety in 291 pregnant Mexican women (aged 15–38 yrs). Ss completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and questions designed to assess variables such as preferred characteristics of health care providers. Higher prenatal anxiety was associated with less desire for an active role during labor, lower assertiveness, higher pain expectation at delivery, lack of support from family members other than the husband, and preferences for health care providers who are female and Latino. All Ss preferred health care providers who provided good medical explanations and who were knowledgeable, friendly, and sympathetic. Postnatal anxiety was significantly lower than prenatal anxiety. Negative attitudes toward the baby and number of complications during labor and delivery were related to postnatal anxiety adjusted for prenatal anxiety. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)