[The Hungarian adaptation of the Pregnancy Related Thoughts scale measuring pregnancy related anxiety].

INTRODUCTION: Although pregnancy related anxiety has significant, negative effects on the outcomes of mothers, birth and children, there is a lack of research in Hungary regarding its prevalence and characteristics.

AIM: The aim of the present study was the adaptation of the Pregnancy Related Thoughts by Rini et al. for a Hungarian sample, including the investigation of its psychometric properties.

METHOD: 248 pregnant women, aged 30.46 years (SD = 4.94) responded our online questionnaire, at 4-40 weeks of gestation (M = 27.9; SD = 9.52). Besides the Pregnancy Related Thoughts, relevant demographic and health questions, generalized anxiety and depression screeners, a relationship satisfaction scale and a sense of control questionnaire were applied.

RESULTS: The 9-item Hungarian version of the Pregnancy Related Thoughts proved to be a reliable and valid one-dimensional questionnaire, with the highest score among women in the first trimester. Pregnancy-specific anxiety significantly and moderately correlated with trait-anxiety, depression, external control, subjective health status and relationship satisfaction, in the expected direction. In addition, women who experienced bleeding or abdominal pain during pregnancy reported significantly higher pregnancy related anxiety than others.

CONCLUSION: The Hungarian version of the Pregnancy Related Thoughts can be a useful instrument for mapping pregnancy anxiety in Hungary. Orv Hetil. 2018; 159(43): 1754-1760.