Abstract:

Covid-19 disease is a highly contagious disease that first appeared in Wuhan in 2019. With the rapid spread of the disease all over the world, it was declared a pandemic by World Health Organization. The conditions of the pandemic and the measures taken increase the levels of stress, anxiety and depression in individuals. Pregnancy is a period in which women are psychologically more sensitive and also more prone to psychosocial problems due to physiological, hormonal and biopsychosocial changes. Therefore, pregnant women are among the groups most affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The measures taken around the world to prevent the spread of this epidemic, the course of the pandemic, changes in daily life and decreases in family or friend support due to social isolation put pregnant women under threat psychosocially. Difficulty in accessing health institutions for pregnant women, mourning of their loss due to disease, financial difficulties and uncertainties regarding the effects of the disease on pregnant women increase psychological problems. The increase in social problems during the Covid-19 pandemic can also cause psychological problems during pregnancy. For this reason, pregnant women need psychological and social support and care during the pandemic. Protecting mental health of pregnant women is important for maternal and fetal health. During the pandemic process, nurses should teach pregnant women to cope with psychosocial problems and support the development of these methods and provide care with a holistic approach. During pregnancy follow-ups, women’s psychological problems should be identified and followed, a sensitive and individualized care should be provided, telecounseling should be provided and meetings should be made with family members to increase social support. This study was conducted to find out the effects of problems caused by the Covid-19 pandemic on pregnant women’s psychosocial states and the importance of nursing care in this regard.