Self-Care Performance of Pregnant Women in Preventing COVID-19 Infection and Its Relationship with Perceived Stress

Objective: To determine the status of self-care performance of pregnant women in the prevention of COVID-19 disease and its relationship with perceived stress during the epidemic period of this disease. 
Method: This cross-sectional study was performed on 228 pregnant women who referred to the health centers in Tabriz, Iran, for prenatal care. They were selected by cluster sampling. Data collection tools included questionnaires about Demographic-Social Characteristics, the Self-Care Performance Questionnaire and Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale. Spearman correlation test was used to examine the correlation between self-care performance and perceived stress in bivariate and multivariate analyses. Also, multivariate linear regression was used, with control of demographic-social and obstetric characteristics as possible confounders. 
Results: The median (25-75 percentiles) self-care performance score of participants was 0.71 (0.65-0.76), from the achievable range of 20-80, and its mean (± SD) perceived stress score was 25.5 (± 5.6), from the achievable range of 0- 56. The Spearman’s rank correlation test results showed a significant inverse correlation between perceived stress and self-care performance scores (r = -0.13; P = 0.041). According to multivariate linear regression test, the variables of selfcare performance, education, spouse's education and number of family members were the predictors of perceived stress in pregnant women during the COVID-19 epidemic. 
Conclusion: According to the results of the present study, self-care performance of pregnant women in prevention of the COVID-19 disease was good and their stress was moderate. There was a significant inverse correlation between selfcare performance and perceived stress that could indicate the high value and importance of the fetus for the mother and her strict adherence to health protocols to prevent COVID-19, which also leads to calming and reduced perceived stress.