Maedeh Aalaei - Medical Student, Students Research Committee, Tabriz Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran
Fatemeh Abbasalizadeh - Professor, Women&#۰۳۹;s Reproductive Health Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
Kosar Sarvaran - Medical Student, Students Research Committee, Tabriz Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran
Azita Fathnezhad Kazemi - a) Assistant Professor, Women’s Reproductive and Mental Health Research Center, Tabriz Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran b) Department of Midwifery, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tabriz Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad

Background & aim: Psychological and behavioral factors caused by COVID-۱۹ adversely affect physical and mental well-being, especially in pregnant women. The current study was performed to evaluate the correlation between knowledge, preventive behaviors, and COVID-۱۹ anxiety with perceived stress among pregnant women.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among ۲۹۰ pregnant women referring to two hospitals in Tabriz, Iran in the second six months of ۲۰۲۱. All participants were selected through convenient sampling. Data were collected using demographic-obstetric questionnaire, knowledge of COVID-۱۹ questionnaire, preventive behaviors scale against COVID-۱۹, the Corona Disease Anxiety Scale (CDAS), and the Cohen Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Data were analyzed by SPSS software version ۲۴ and descriptive and interpretive statistics.Results: Based on the results, ۲۳.۸% and ۳۸.۶% of participants had severe anxiety and stress, respectively. There was a direct and significant correlation between knowledge and preventive behaviors (r=۰۴۲۶, P<۰.۰۰۱). The results of univariate regression showed that the preventive behaviors and COVID-۱۹ anxiety explain ۱.۷% (β=۰.۱۳۰, SE=۰.۱۲۳, P=۰.۰۲۷) and ۵.۵۱% (β=۰.۷۴۲, SE=۰.۰۳۴, P<۰.۰۰۱) of stress changes, respectively. In univariate linear regression, a moderate correlation was observed between the three variables including employment status, preventive behaviors, and anxiety with perceived stress (R=۰.۵۵۷), and anxiety had the highest regression coefficient (β=-۰.۶۶۵).Conclusion: The current study highlighted the importance of measuring knowledge, preventive behaviors, COVID- ۱۹ anxiety and perceived stress in pregnant women during COVID-۱۹ pandemic. This assessment will assist healthcare providers in delivering appropriate services during the future pandemics.

Knowledge, Mental health, Coronavirus, Anxiety, pregnancy