Psychiatric Variables in Cytomegalovirus or Toxoplasma gondii—Infected Pregnants: Prospects for Cure with a Program of “Counseling about Behavioral Change”

TORCH complex, one of the potential infections that may occur during pregnancy, may contribute also to prenatal pregnant women’s anxiety and depression. The aim of this study was to explore the presence of psychiatric symptoms, in relation with infection of TORCH agents, specifically the Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) and Cytomegalovirus (CMV). The study was conducted on 58 pregnant women recruited from the Clinical Virology Unit, A.O.U. Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele, P.O. “Gaspare Rodolico”, from September 2012 to March 2014. Psychiatric symptoms were evaluated through the Symptom Checklist-90 Revised (SCL-90 R) in pregnant women with CMV or T. gondii infection. Moreover, pregnant women were invited to participate in a program of “Counseling about behavioral change”, an effective psychotherapeutic training for the development of new motivational strategies to the infection acceptance, the greater self-confidence and greater adherence to treatment. The age of the subjects was positively correlated with Depression (r = 0.119, p < 0.05) and negatively correlated with Phobic Anxiety (r = −0.178, p < 0.05). The same variables were also negatively correlated with the level of education (r = −0.231, r = −0.320, p < 0.05) and with the dimension Somatization (r = −0.208, p < 0.05). Somatization was positively correlated with unmarried patients (r = 0.141, p < 0.05), while Phobic Anxiety was negatively correlated with unmarried patients (r = −0.105, p < 0.05). Somatization, Phobic Anxiety and Depression were positively correlated with the variable “unemployment” (r = 0.236, r = 0.218, r = 0.202, p < 0.05). In relation to the type of infection, the dimension Anxiety was positively correlated with toxoplasmosis (r = −0.236, p < 0.05). Finally, we can notice an improvement of the variables Anxiety and Somatization in the whole sample after the attendance at the counseling psychotherapic program. Our study suggests the presence of anxiety and somatization in pregnant women with infection, expression of a phase of emotional fragility with the concern of transmitting a serious disease in the unborn child. The program “Counseling about behavioral change” allowed us to create an atmosphere of trust and to understand the usefulness of “empathic listening”. Giving correct and accurate information about the disease reassures the patient and prevents the realization of negative thoughts and further concern and discomfort.-