How to Manage Anxiety During Pregnancy

Pregnancy is thought of as an exciting, happy, glowing time. But it’s common to have anxiety during pregnancy, too. For example, some people worry about how often they feel the baby kick. Some have concerns about how they’ll handle labor and delivery. Many question their parenting skills or how the baby will change their relationship with their partner, friends, or other children. Some stress about how they’ll afford the cost of raising a child.

If any of that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. It’s thought that up to 40% of pregnant women experience feelings of anxiety, according to the Journal of Mental Health and Clinical Psychology.

Between hormonal changes, societal pressures, negative past experiences some have experienced in previous pregnancies, and other stressors, it’s understandable that your anxiety levels may be high. Anxiety, which is a feeling of concern, worry, or nervousness, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, is one of the ways the body responds to stress.