Relationship between mood, social support and emotion regulation with health habits during pregnancy: pilot study.

Increasing rates of obesity/overweight, exacerbated by the recent SARS pandemic, represent a concern that extends to reproductive years. Short- and long-term adverse outcomes of maternal obesity and the benefits of cultivating healthy habits during pregnancy are well established. Regardless, the connection and role between psychological risk and protective factors and health behaviours during pregnancy is still under-explored. Within the perspective of the Theory of Planned Behaviour, this project aims to investigate the role of risk/protective factors and health habits at the third trimester of pregnancy (T0) and 3 months after childbirth (T1) considering body mass index (BMI) and actual Gestational Weight Gain (GWG). The present data are part of T0 involving a first group of Italian pregnant women (N=21) that participated after referral from their health practitioner. Mothers completed standardised instruments assessing depression, pregnancy related anxiety, emotion regulation, and perceived social support and measures regarding healthy habits on nutrition, physical activity and gestational weight gain. Spearman correlations revealed significant associations between pregnancy anxiety and physical activity intentions (𝜌𝜌 = -,62 p =.018), and perceived behavioural control of gestational weight gain (𝜌𝜌 = -.60, p =.023). It also revealed correlations between depression and nutrition intentions (𝜌𝜌 = .58, p =.028). Furthermore, significant associations between emotion regulation and nutrition attitude (𝜌𝜌 = .54, p =.048), intention (𝜌𝜌 = .89, p =.000), and perceived behavioral control (𝜌𝜌 = .76, p =.002) were found. No correlations between pre-pregnancy BMI and GWG with risk/protective factors were found. Results underscore the significance of exploring the interplay between behavioral factors and risk/protective factors during pregnancy for early prevention, given their psychological impact on obesity/overweight during this stage and potential repercussions on the offspring.