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A Longitudinal Study of Perceived Health during Pregnancy

Antecedents and Outcomes

Gunilla Bohlin

Department of Psychology

Gunilla Lindmark

Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Uppsala University, Sweden

Perceived health was studied longitudinally in a sample of 364 nulliparous women. Psychosocial, contextual, and biomedical factors were taken into account to predict medically relevant versus benign symptoms which were then used to predict perceived health over time. The results of structural equation modeling showed that pregnancy adjustment and medically relevant symptoms which were affected by social support, perceived stress, and negative affect predicted later perceived health. The outcomes of perceived health were examined during the third trimester in terms of medical care utilization and emergency room visits. Perceived health solely accounted for medical care utilization, while emergency room visits were accounted by medical care utilization and perceived stress.

Key Words: self-rated health • symptoms • health-care utilization • pregnancy adjustment • psychosocial factors • health

Journal of Health Psychology, Vol. 4, No. 2, 129-147 (1999)
DOI: 10.1177/135910539900400209


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