Feeling Anxious During Your Pregnancy? You're Not Alone

Pregnancy brings a lot of joy. It can also bring a lot of worry. If you find yourself feeling anxious about your pregnancy or your delivery, take heart. You are in good company, and there is help.

“It's common,” says Timothy Kremer, M.D., an OB/GYN on the medical staff at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth. "It's super, super common. And we want to know about it."

Where Does Pregnancy Anxiety Come From?

Anxiety during pregnancy shows up in different ways for different women, Dr. Kremer says. For some, it starts with an anxiety disorder they already had. Pregnancy can make those feelings stronger.

For others, it is simply the fear of the unknown. First-time moms often worry about how the delivery will go because they have never been through it before.

A third group carries worry from a past delivery that did not go as planned. An emergency C-section or heavy bleeding during a previous birth can leave real emotional scars. “The trauma left over from that is probably the highest anxiety I've seen specific to pregnancy,” Dr. Kremer says. These moms fear the same thing will happen again.

The good news? Every pregnancy is unique. A hard experience with one delivery does not mean the next one will go the same way.

Start with One Question

Dr. Kremer gives his patients a simple homework assignment: create a birth plan. Then he asks one question over and over.

“What is the most important thing to you?”

Some patients come back with a plan that covers every minute of labor. Dr. Kremer gently reminds them that no delivery follows a script. Too many things can change. So he helps them focus on the one or two things that matter most, and they build the plan around those.

He also asks, “What is your biggest fear?” For some moms, the worry is not the delivery at all. It is what comes after. Who will help with the baby? How will I recover if I need surgery? Naming the fear out loud is the first step to making a plan for it.

Ways to Ease the Worry

If anxiety is weighing on you during pregnancy, Dr. Kremer suggests a few approaches:

Talk it through with your doctor or midwife. Bring your questions and concerns to your appointments. Between visits, send your care team a message through MyChart. “If you've got five questions, just send me five questions, and we'll work through it,” Dr. Kremer says. No question is too small, even “Can I eat sushi?”
Think about a doula. A doula is a trained support person who stays with you through labor. Dr. Kremer says the right doula can be an extra voice who speaks up for you during delivery.
Take a class or tour. Childbirth classes and hospital tours can take some of the mystery out of delivery day. Knowing what to expect helps many moms feel more in control.
Consider counseling. For more serious anxiety, talk therapy can be powerful. Your doctor can refer you to a mental health professional.
Know your nurses have your back. Some moms worry they will not be heard during labor. A caring labor and delivery team that listens and speaks up for you can make a big difference.

Why Your Doctor Screens You

At Texas Health, moms-to-be are screened for depression and anxiety at their first prenatal visit, again at the start of the third trimester, and after the baby arrives. These short surveys help your care team spot problems early.

That matters more than you might think. Depression and anxiety during pregnancy raise the risk of postpartum depression after the baby is born. When your doctor knows what you are feeling now, your care team can watch for warning signs later and treat them early.

“That's not a burden to the pregnancy,” Dr. Kremer says. “We want to know about it early, and we do have really effective treatments.”

The Bottom Line

Every pregnancy and every delivery is unique and different. Partnering with your health care team and keeping the lines of communication open will help. Your team is ready to listen to your fears, make a plan with you, and walk with you every step of the way.

So speak up. Anxiety during pregnancy is nothing to be ashamed of, and you do not have to carry it alone.

Need a physician to guide you through your pregnancy? Call 1-877-THR-WELL or visit TexasHealth.org to find an OB/GYN near you.