MANAGEMENT OF MATERNAL STRESS DURING PREGNANCY TOWARDS WELLNESS PROMOTION

Abstract

Pregnancy is a major transition stage in a woman’s life as it is accompanied not only by changes in virtually every organ in the body, but also changes in social role. Stress is a normal reaction to a major change (such as pregnancy).Stress is referred to as an individual’s response to change to a threatening situation hence, maternal stress is the stress that mothers experience during pregnancy. This paper reviews stress challenges experienced during the pregnancy period, its health implication and how it can be managed. Maternal stress challenges include anxiety and depression. Addressing stress during pregnancy can prevent many complications. This paper recommends that prenatal women should be given health education and counselling on how to identify and manage stressors in their lives.