The Relationship Between Body Image and Anxiety and Depression in Pregnant Women in Türkiye

Objective: This study was conducted to examine the relationship between body image and anxiety and depression during pregnancy. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional and correlational study was conducted with 300 pregnant women in a public hospital and family health centers between October 2022 and February 2023. Data were collected with the Personal Information Form, Body Understanding Scale for Pregnancy (BUMPs) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) Scale. Mean, percentage, Independent Sample t-test, One-Way ANOVA, Correlation and Multiple Linear Regression were used for data analysis. Results: Correlation analysis showed significant positive correlations between Body Image and Anxiety and Depression in Pregnancy. In the multiple linear regression analysis, it was found that 13% (R2 adj. = 0.13) of the variance in the HADS-A subscale variable was explained by independent variables. It was found that 27% of the variance in the HAD-D subscale variable (R2 adj.= 0.27) was explained by independent variables. Conclusions: This study showed that body image during pregnancy is a multifaceted problem that affects anxiety and depression in pregnant women. The high prevalence of prenatal anxiety and depression highlights the importance of this condition as a public health problem.