COVID-19 and maternal mental health: Are we getting the balance right?

Topalidou, Anastasia; Thomson, Gill; Downe, Soo

doi:10.1101/2020.03.30.20047969

Cited by 45 publications

(72 citation statements)

References 20 publications

(35 reference statements)

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“…In the present study, both anxiety and COVID-19-related anxiety were measured, and the mean anxiety of pregnant and lactating women was higher than non-pregnant/lactating women. According to previous studies, the cause of increased anxiety may be due to issues related to pregnancy, lactating, or the additional burden of anxiety caused by the outbreaks of COVID-19 (14,15,17,18).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Ideally, pregnancy and having a baby, looking for a safe and positive pregnancy are events that are accompanied by joy and delight. However, some women may experience a range of negative emotions in course of this period (14). Almost all women can have mental disorders during pregnancy and in the rst year after childbirth, but emergency and con ict situations, natural disasters, extreme stress, and low social support can increase risks for speci c mental health disorders (15).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Mental Health and Marital Satisfaction Changes of Pregnant and Lactating Women During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Gharagozloo

Sadatmahalleh

Khomami

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Background: Women during pregnancy and in the first year after childbirth are vulnerable to mental disorders in the outbreaks of infectious diseases such as Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19). There is a relationship between mental health and marital satisfaction. This study aimed to assess mental health, anxiety, depression, and marital satisfaction among pregnant and lactating women and compared the results with non-pregnant/lactating (as control group) during the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran.Methods: A cross-sectional study among married women in range of 18 to 45 years via online questionnaires was conducted from 20 March to 25 April, 2020. A total of 604 valid questionnaires were analyzed, including 200 pregnant women, 203 lactating women, and 201 non-pregnant/lactating women. Mental health, COVID-19-related anxiety, and marital satisfaction were respectively assessed by the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), the Corona Disease Anxiety Scale (CDAS), and ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Scale (EMS Scale). The data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software. Results: The scores of mental health problems in pregnant and lactating women were significantly higher than the control group (18.86±12.56 and 18.83±13.99 vs. 13.01±8.15, P<0.00). The total CDAS score in the control group was significantly less than pregnant women (30.87±10.56 vs. 26.05±6.12, P<0.001) and lactating women (30.80±11.37 vs. 26.05±6.12, P<0.001). The mean of marital satisfaction was significantly lower in the pregnant women (28.06±2.67 vs. 29.64±3.18, P < 0.001) and lactating women (28.74±3.58 vs. 29.64±3.18, p = 0.01) compared with the control group. There was no statistically significant difference in the depression among three groups (P < 0.05).Conclusions: Pregnant and lactating women had more mental health problems, more anxiety and less marital satisfaction in comparison to non-pregnant/lactating women in the course of COVID-19 outbreaks. Further study is needed to investigate the effect of COVID-19 prevalence on mental health and marital satisfaction of pregnant and lactating women, considering the socioeconomic status.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mental Health and Marital Satisfaction Changes of Pregnant and Lactating Women During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Gharagozloo

Sadatmahalleh

Khomami

et al. 2020

Preprint

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“…Apart from the overall population level pandemic-related stress, there is still a limited formal evidence-base about the nature and clinical consequences of the various versions of coronavirus (COVID-19 or SARS-CoV-2 or HCoV-19) for a pregnant woman. There is even less information about the mental health impacts consequent to self-isolation, living in a household with an affected person, limited access to goods/services and to routine or emergency health and social care [11]. It seems that one of the topics related to health anxiety is the epidemic of diseases.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Relationship between Health Anxiety and Prenatal Distress with Choosing the Type of Childbirth in Pregnant Women during Covid-19 Outbreaks in Iran

Nasab

Bahmaei

Askari

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Background This study investigates the relationship between health anxiety and prenatal distress with choosing the type of childbirth in pregnant women during Covid-19 outbreaks in Iran.Methods This is a descriptive-analytical study on 200 nulliparous pregnant women who referred to health centers of Iran to perform routine pregnancy care. Convenient sampling was used, and each nulli pari pregnant woman who tended to enter the study was enrolled. The questionnaires used in this work were demographic and midwifery information questionnaire, health anxiety index-short form (HAI 18), and Prenatal Distress Questionnaire (PDQ). After filing out the above questionnaires, two questions regarding the type of delivery selected by them before and during epidemic of covid-19 and the reason of the selection were asked from the participants and were recorded. The information was analyzed in the final stage using SPSS software version 22.Results In general, 200 nulliparous pregnant women participated in this study. A significant statistical association was observed between choosing the type of delivery before and during the covid-19 pandemic (P=0.016). Women health anxiety showed significant statistical difference among various groups (P=0.0001). The highest score was 35.06±07.34 which was observed in the group that choose vaginal delivery at first but they selected cesarean section during the covid-19 pandemic. Mean score of prenatal distress score showed significant statistical difference among various groups (P=0.0001). The highest score was 20.06±4.72 which was observed in the group that choose cesarean before and during the covid-19 pandemic. Conclusion The current study showed the higher health anxiety and Prenatal distress in pregnant women, the significantly higher probable of selecting cesarean as delivery method. Therefore, due to the increase in pregnant women Health anxiety and Prenatal distress during the Covid-19 epidemic and its effect on the choice of delivery, planning to promote the mental health of pregnant women is very important.

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“…COVID-19 reinvigorated the debates on telemedicine, agility of healthcare systems, as well as overcrowding and under-nancing of healthcare workers, all having an impact on expectant and rst-time mothers as a particularly vulnerable group. This is because overlapping medical and social shortcomings affect pregnant women in particular ways, introducing a condition of uncertainty and hindering women's ability to receive medical or social support during pregnancy, childbirth and in terms of new-born care (8,9,10,11).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Clinical recommendations, albeit crucial, might obscure the fact that stress during pregnancy is a highly concerning public risk exaggerated by the COVID-19 outbreak. Corbett and co-authors (21) found that pregnant women experience increased anxiety about their immediate family, older relatives and unborn baby, while Viaux and team (22) explicitly expect the rate of postpartum depression in the general population to rise up from the current 15% in response to the lockdown measures, especially since psychosocial stress is a key risk factor for preterm birth (8). As argued by Mirzadeh and Khedmat (11), 'in nulliparous pregnant women, the adverse mood symptoms accompanied by childbirth fear may have irreversible effects on mother and child health', thus health management and monitoring of wellbeing should not only concern late pregnancy but also the rst two trimesters.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Pregnancy and Childbirth During the Covid-19 Epidemic in Poland: Qualitative Evidence From Expert Interviews.

Pustułka

Buler

2020

Preprint

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BackgroundThe Covid-19 outbreak has significantly altered the provisions and shape of medical services for expecting mothers worldwide. In Poland, the country where pregnancy and childbirth are subject to comparably greater medicalization, those shifts are particularly tangible. This study aimed at capturing the responses of the maternal health professionals, highlighting possible long-term implications for the expecting and new mothers, as well as the reproductive health sector. MethodsThis is a qualitative and rapid-response study which addresses the themes around the emerging implications of the viral outbreak. Semi-structured expert interviews were conducted with 46 individuals, all highly-skilled, working in either medical or adjacent sectors connected with reproductive medicine, as well as varied antenatal and postpartum care services. In this analysis, 7 digital experts were excluded as observers rather than field practitioners Among 39 interviews, 5 have been conducted with OB-GYNs, 13 with midwives, 7 with doulas, 14 broadly-conceived category of maternal support experts including psychologists and physiotherapists. The recorded data were input into thematic grids and meticulously transcribed prior to being subject to an inductive, thematic analysis. ResultsThe findings revealed that the context of the heightened medicalization of pregnancy and hospital care during birth in Poland, resulted in strong restrictions and immediate fall back to a clinical care model. The majority also claimed that the Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated the implications of the decades of Polish maternal health recommendations contradicting the WHO regulations. Professionals’ anxieties concern limited access to services assisting women during pregnancies. While those linked to hospitals pointed out physiological risks, other maternal support experts drew attention to the effects of stress and uncertainty on maternal mental health. ConclusionsExperts believe that the pandemic will have multifaceted consequences. Negative impact on well-being of expecting and birthing mothers, as well as new-borns, is already observed and highly anticipated to increase further. The professionals underscore both the information chaos surrounding recommendations and procedures, and see the pandemic as a moment of reflection, mostly being vocal in their critiques of the over-medicalized Polish care model.

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COVID-19 and maternal mental health: Are we getting the balance right?

Cited by 45 publications

References 20 publications

Mental Health and Marital Satisfaction Changes of Pregnant and Lactating Women During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Mental Health and Marital Satisfaction Changes of Pregnant and Lactating Women During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The Relationship between Health Anxiety and Prenatal Distress with Choosing the Type of Childbirth in Pregnant Women during Covid-19 Outbreaks in Iran

Pregnancy and Childbirth During the Covid-19 Epidemic in Poland: Qualitative Evidence From Expert Interviews.

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