Abstract
An epidemiological study of maternal anxiety was conducted with the attendants of a class of expectant mothers held by the staff of Showa Medical School using the STAI Questionnaire and the Locus of Control which was revised by Mizukuchi and adopted for this study. The follow-up study was implemented in three periods of pre and post natal stages : 19 to 25 weeks pregnant (Prenatal 1), 30 to 36 weeks (Prenatal 2), and the postnatal period (Postnatal 3) within 4 days after delivery. The anxiety levels by the STAI improved according to the period of pregnancy although 51.8% of the attendants had deep anxiety during their first pregnancy and delivery. The anxiety level by the STAI was higher in the extrovert type groups than in the introvert type of the Locus of Control. The Prenatal 1 and Prenatal 2 groups were diagnosed by a medical doctor as having symptoms of foot swelling, preposition of placenta, urinary sugar and hypertension; other subjective symptoms were lumbalgia, weariness, upset of stomach, stiffness of hands, and a feeling of stomach heaviness which showed significantly higher anxiety levels by STAI in the Extrovert than in the Introvert type of Locus of Control. The Postnatal 3 group showed subjective symptoms. Symptoms such as dizziness and foot fatigue showed the same tendency as the above mentioned.
