Abstract
BACKGROUND: Anxiety during pregnancy is a common concern that can significantly affect maternal mental health. The ongoing political instability in Palestine contributes to increased anxiety among pregnant women, with perceived social support playing a key moderating role. This study aims to explore the relationship between perceived social support and anxiety symptoms among pregnant women in the West Bank, Palestine. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 305 pregnant women recruited from four major hospitals in the West Bank, Palestine. Data were gathered using three reliable questionnaires: the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Scale (MOS-SSS), the Pregnancy-Related Anxiety Questionnaire-Revised 2 (PRAQ-R2), and the State Anxiety Inventory (SAI). RESULTS: Participants reported high levels of perceived social support, with 265 (86.9%) reporting high emotional support, 245 (80.3%) high informational support, and 261 (85.6%) high tangible support. Moderate levels of anxiety symptoms were observed across both measures. The mean score on the PRAQ-R2 was 2.83 ± 0.5, and the mean SAI score was 50. Employment status was significantly and positively associated with anxiety symptoms on both the PRAQ-R2 (p = 0.015) and the SAI (p = 0.005). A moderate negative correlation was found between the number of pregnancies (r = -0.142, p = 0.013) and the number of children (r = -0.153, p = 0.007) and PRAQ-R2 scores. Additionally, a moderate inverse correlation was observed between MOS-SSS and SAI scores (r = -0.402, p < 0.001), while a weak inverse correlation was noted between MOS-SSS and PRAQ-R2 scores (r = -0.024, p = 0.672). Furthermore, a moderate positive correlation was found between overall SAI and PRAQ-R2 scores (r = 0.379, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In this study, pregnant women reported moderate levels of anxiety, despite experiencing high levels of perceived social support. Unemployed women and those with more children and pregnancies demonstrated lower levels of anxiety symptoms. This research highlights the importance of regular screening for prenatal anxiety and emphasizes the need to enhance social support systems to promote maternal mental health. Further research is needed to explore these relationships in greater depth.