title: Anxiety symptoms and coping strategies in the perinatal period.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the present study was to explore the prospective relationship between anxiety symptoms and coping strategies during late pregnancy and early postpartum.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants completed the Hospital Anxiety Depression-Anxiety subscale and Carver's Brief COPE at two time points, namely during the last trimester of pregnancy (N = 400) and at two months postpartum (N = 158).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Antenatally, 18.8% of pregnant women presented severe anxiety symptoms while 20.2% of women presented severe anxiety symptoms after birth. Carver's proposed coping styles allowed to significantly distinguish between anxious and non anxious women during these two periods. Anxious women used significantly more inappropriate coping and less adaptive coping responses, such as self-blame and denial of reality, which remained associated with anxiety in the perinatal period. Our results also indicated a decrease in adaptive coping in women without anxiety after birth (e.g. acceptance, positive reframing).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings confirm that antenatal and postnatal anxiety symptoms occur frequently and that inappropriate and/or non functional coping may account for persisting anxiety after childbirth.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Data were based on self-reports and participating women were predominantly primiparous. A high drop-out rate at two months postpartum must also be acknowledged.
authors: Department of Psychology, Laboratory EA 4360 Apemac-EPSaM, University of Lorraine, Ile du Saulcy BP 30309 57006 METZ, Cedex 1, France. astrid.george@voila.fr.
authors: Astrid
authors: A
authors: George
authors: Rita F
authors: RF
authors: Luz
authors: Claude
authors: C
authors: De Tychey
authors: Nathalie
authors: N
authors: Thilly
authors: Elisabeth
authors: E
authors: Spitz
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third / Q000523:psychology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D055815:Young Adult