SUMMARY
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the
association between maternal
anxiety in the
third trimester and changes in fetal and maternal circulation assessed by Doppler
velocimetry .
METHODS: This is a prospective,
cross-sectional study . The inclusion criteria were good
health , a singleton
pregnancy ,
maternal age between 18 and 40 years, and
gestational age between 34 and 40 weeks. Doppler measurements included mean
uterine artery pulsatility index, fetal
middle cerebral artery pulsatility index, peak of systolic velocity,
umbilical artery , and
umbilical vein . The Beck
Anxiety Inventory questionnaire , validated for the Brazilian
population , with 21
self -reported items, was applied.
RESULTS: The study included 34
pregnant women , and 6 (17.7%) presented a total Beck
Anxiety Inventory score showing moderate or severe maternal
anxiety . The mean
maternal age was 28.1 years (SD 5.7 years); the mean
gestational age at
interview was 36.5 weeks (SD 1.8 weeks), and the mean Beck
Anxiety Inventory total score was 12.3 (SD 9.8). The group with moderate or severe
anxiety , compared to the group with minimal or mild
anxiety , presented an
association with lower
maternal age (median 21.5 vs. 29.5 years, p=0.019), lower fetal
umbilical vein blood flow (median 189.4 vs. 249.5 mL/min, p=0.047), and lower
umbilical vein -corrected
blood flow (median 68.5 vs. 84.9 mL/kg/min, p=0.038).
CONCLUSION: Maternal
anxiety may
affect fetal circulation patterns in late
pregnancy and is associated with reduced
blood flow in the fetal
umbilical vein . The underlying
physiopathology needs further investigation.