Relationship Between Antenatal Maternal Anxiety and Feeding Behavior and Physiological Parameters of Neonates in Cesarean Section Mothers: A Cross-sectional Study

Anxiety is one of the most common psychological disorders in pregnancy. It seems that a pregnant mother’s anxiety has adverse effects on physical growth, motor development, and breastfeeding behavior in her baby.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between feeding behavior and physiological parameters of neonates with antenatal maternal anxiety in cesarean section mothers.

In this cross-sectional study, with a multiple regression analysis method for each variable, 10 samples were selected based on consumptive sampling, and total 101 people were selected. Data were collected using Spielberger’s questionnaire for mothers’ anxiety before delivery, and Standard Infant Breastfeeding Assessment Tool for nutritional behavior, and physiological parameters of newborns was completed within 48 hours after delivery. Independent and dependent t-test and Pearson correlation coefficient tests were used to analyze the data using SPSS software version 16.

The mean total anxiety (state and trait) was 90.02 ± 18. 09. Pearson correlation test showed that there was no significant relationship between the two anxiety variables with the mean nutritional behavior of the neonates and the anxiety with the physiological parameters of the newborn.

There was no significant relationship between anxiety and physiological parameters and nutritional behavior of infants. Further studies with a larger sample size are recommended in the area of psychosocial support around delivery and the effect of mothers’ anxiety on the infants’ nutritional behaviors and physiological parameters.