Main results
The present study shows, firstly, that anxiety symptoms during pregnancy
are associated with lower birth weight percentiles. Secondly, trait
anxiety (STAIt) shows a higher association with lower birth weight
percentiles than state anxiety (STAIs). Thirdly, regarding the effect of
anxiety timing on fetal growth, although there was a certain trend, it
is not clear whether the appearance of anxiety symptoms at an earlier
gestational age is associated with lower birth weight percentiles. In
addition, there was a negative correlation between state anxiety and
gestational age at the time when anxiety symptoms first appear,
suggesting that women experienced higher state anxiety when exposed to
the stressful event at a lower gestational age.