Comparing Perceived Social Support and Perceived Stress in Healthy Pregnant Women and Pregnant Women with Preeclampsia.

BACKGROUND: Preeclampsia is a prevalent side effect of pregnancy. Different studies have reported different results about the relationship between mental stress and blood pressure disorders. In addition, social support is highly important to help women who experience risky pregnancy in adapting to the stressors they experience. This study aimed to compare perceived social support and perceived stress in women with and without preeclampsia. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Fifty pregnant women definitely diagnosed with preeclampsia and 50 healthy pregnant women visiting public hospitals including Hazrat Masoumeh, Motazedi, and Imam Reza in Kermanshah-Iran took part in a descriptiveanalytical study from June 2017 to January 2018. Data gathering tools included demographics questionnaire, social support appraisals scale and perceived stress scale. The collected data was analyzed with SPSS (v.20) using independent t-test. RESULTS: The mean score of perceived social support in the preeclampsia and non-preeclampsia groups were 69.88±7.3 and 76.80±7.6 respectively (P<0.01). The mean score of perceived stress in the preeclampsia and non-preeclampsia groups were 35.6±8.7 and 26.01±5.56 respectively (P<0.01). This means that compared with healthy women, women with preeclampsia perceived more stress and less social support. CONCLUSION: In comparison with healthy pregnant women, women with preeclampsia perceived more stress and less social support. Healthcare providers should recommended to pay more attention to improving social support and attenuating stress in pregnant women.

Comparing perceived social support and perceived stress in healthy pregnant women and pregnant women with preeclampsia

BACKGROUND: Preeclampsia is a prevalent side effect of pregnancy. Different studies have reported different results about the relationship between mental stress and blood pressure disorders. In addition, social support is highly important to help women who experience risky pregnancy in adapting to the stressors they experience. This study aimed to compare perceived social support and perceived stress in women with and without preeclampsia. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Fifty pregnant women definitely diagnosed with preeclampsia and 50 healthy pregnant women visiting public hospitals including Hazrat Masoumeh, Motazedi,and Imam Reza in Kermanshah-Iran took part in a descriptiveanalytical study from June 2017 to January 2018. Data gathering tools included demographics questionnaire, social support appraisals scale and perceived stress scale. The collected data was analyzed with SPSS (v.20) using independent t-test. RESULTS: The mean score of perceived social support in the preeclampsia and non-preeclampsia groups were 69.88±7.3 and 76.80±7.6 respectively (P<0.01). The mean score of perceived stress in the preeclampsia and non-preeclampsia groups were 35.6±8.7 and 26.01±5.56 respectively (P<0.01). This means that compared with healthy women, women with preeclampsia perceived more stress and less social support. CONCLUSION: In comparison with healthy pregnant women, women with preeclampsia perceived more stress and less social support. Healthcare providers should recommended to pay more attention to improving social support and attenuating stress in pregnant women

Predictive value of plasma haematocrit level in early diagnosis of pre-eclampsia.

While pre-eclampsia is the most common complication of pregnancy, a definitive screening test for early diagnosis is still elusive. In this study, haematocrit value was assessed as a screening test for pre-eclampsia in 660 women at 24-28 weeks of pregnancy attending a hospital in Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran. Mean haematocrit values were significantly higher in pre-eclamptic than non-pre-eclamptic women: 37.7% (SD 2.0%) and 35.9% (SD 1.7%) respectively. The receiver operating characteristics curve showed that the most appropriate cut-off point for the haematocrit test in this sample of women was 38%; at this value the sensitivity was 58.6% and specificity was 88.9%; positive and negative predictive values were 33.7% and 95.7% respectively. The haematocrit, done as a routine screening test for anaemia at 24-28 weeks of pregnancy, may also be useful as a screening test for early diagnosis of pre-eclampsia.

Predictive value of plasma haematocrit level in early diagnosis of pre-eclampsia

While pre-eclampsia is the most common complication of pregnancy, a definitive screening test for early diagnosis is still elusive. In this study, haematocrit value was assessed as a screening test for pre-eclampsia in 660 women at 24-28 weeks of pregnancy attending a hospital in Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran. Mean haematocrit values were significantly higher in pre-eclamptic than non-pre-eclamptic women; 37.7% [SD 2.0%] and 35.9% [SD 1.7%] respectively. The receiver operating characteristics curve showed that the most appropriate cut-off point for the haematocrit test in this sample of women was 38%; at this value the sensitivity was 58.6% and specificity was 88.9%; positive and negative predictive values were 33.7% and 95.7% respectively. The haematocrit, done as a routine screening test for anaemia at 24-28 weeks of pregnancy, may also be useful as a screening test for early diagnosis of pre-eclampsia