Experiencing symptoms of anxiety during pregnancy does not increase the risk of certain complications, such as having a longer labour, the results of a new study indicate.

According to the researchers, previous studies on this issue area have shown mixed results. They decided to look at all the relevant studies carried out in this area over the last 39 years. This included 50 studies involving 48 sample groups of women.

“Pregnancy can be an emotional time for women and for some, anxiety associated with the pregnancy can be compounded by pre-existing difficulties such as having an inadequate social support system”, explained lead researcher, Dr Heather Littleton of the University of Texas.

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