The relationship between quality of life and pregnancy anxiety with the mediation of childbirth self-efficacy and social support

Introduction: Pregnancy is accompanied by physiological and psychological changes that can affect mothers’ quality of life and anxiety levels. Examining mediating factors such as childbirth self-efficacy and social support can help identify effective strategies to improve maternal mental health. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the relationship between quality of life and pregnancy anxiety with the mediating role of childbirth self-efficacy and social support and to test the fit of a correlation model among these variables. Materials & Methods: This descriptive-correlational study was conducted on ۲۰۰ pregnant women who were referred to Shohada-ye Gomnam Comprehensive Health Center, Shohada-ye Golzar Comprehensive Health Center, and Agh-Tappeh Comprehensive Health Center of Karaj in ۲۰۲۵. Participants were selected through convenience sampling and completed a demographic information form along with standardized questionnaires, including pregnancy anxiety, quality of life, childbirth self-efficacy, and perceived social support. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation, structural equation modeling, and AMOS-۲۴ software. Results:  The results showed that there was a positive and significant relationship between quality of life, childbirth self-efficacy, and perceived social support. In contrast, pregnancy anxiety had a negative and significant relationship with these three variables. Quality of life directly reduced pregnancy anxiety (β=-۰.۵۴۲, p=۰.۰۰۱). Also, perceived social support (β=-۰.۲۲۶, p=۰.۰۱۰) and childbirth self-efficacy (β=-۰.۲۷۳, p=۰.۰۰۱) were also directly related to reducing pregnancy anxiety. In addition, quality of life also indirectly reduced pregnancy anxiety through increasing perceived social support (β=-۰.۱۳۶, p=۰.۰۰۱) and childbirth self-efficacy (β=-۰.۱۰۰, p=۰.۰۰۱). The proposed model also had a good fit. Conclusion:  Based on these findings, it can be concluded that childbirth self-efficacy and perceived social support serve as effective mediators in the relationship between quality of life and pregnancy anxiety.

کلیدواژه ها:

pregnancy ، anxiety ، self-efficacy ، social support ، quality of life ، pregnancy ، anxiety ، self-efficacy ، social support ، quality of life