Impact of COVID‐19 on psychosocial functioning of peripartum women: A qualitative study comprising focus group discussions and in‐depth interviews

Abstract

Objective Peripartum is a period of profound hormonal changes in the body and COVID‐19 seems to have an additional impact on these women's psychosocial functioning. This calls for a need to address the psychosocial and behavioural impact of COVID‐19 on peripartum women's lives. Methods Three focus group discussions and ten in‐depth interviews were conducted. A format to guide discussions and interviews was made to bring uniformity across groups and participants. Participants were recruited through purposive sampling. In verbatim transcription was done, followed by thematic analysis to extract key conceptual themes. Results Fourteen pregnant and eleven postpartum women were included. The mean age was 28.5 years. Two major domains were identified: 1) the psychological domain including the categories of thoughts, emotions, and behaviour, and 2) the social domain comprising categories of relationships with family members and friends, perceived loss of social support, doctor‐patient relationship, and social determinants of health. Conclusion The pandemic has indeed affected the psychosocial functioning of peripartum women. The study results might prove to be helpful for clinicians and mental health specialists who can suggest and develop different coping strategies for peripartum women during this pandemic.

Association of lifestyle changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic with nutrient intake and physical activity levels during pregnancy in Japan

“…The frequency of shopping was particularly affected among the multiparas because shopping with child/children during the pandemic was seen negatively by society. In addition, self-restraint with regard to shopping may occur due to fear of infection to themselves and their child/children, as reported in other countries (3) . Therefore, multiparas are more likely to reduce vegetable intake during an infectious disease pandemic.…”

“…Approximately 17% of women reported that their diets worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic, while 42% reported an improvement. A qualitative study in India (3) reported that impaired diet quality during pregnancy was because of self-restraint in going out for shopping due to fear of coronavirus infection. This led to a decrease in the consumption of meat, fish, and fruits.…”

Beyond the Pandemic: COVID-19 Pandemic Changed the Face of Life

“…Conversely, social interaction through modern media has significantly increased in relation to the confinement period [ 65 ]. Herein, some suggestions were made to help people staying at home: Daily food should contain fresh vegetables and protein while minimum daily consumption of calories was warranted [ 66 , 67 ]; Avoid frequent meals and processed foods [ 68 ]; Maintain regular bed hours [ 9 ]; Regular exercise is important to the body, and the order and duration of the physical activities should be maintained [ 69 ]; Computers, smartphones, and TV viewing should be monitored [ 9 , 17 ]; Plan to spend quality time with family [ 70 , 71 ]; Follow the WHO’s (World Health Organization) guidelines for staying at home [ 4 ]. …”

Underlying the triple burden effects on women educationists due to COVID-19

“…Many scholars such as Kaberia & Muathe ( 2021 ); Shorey et al ( 2021 ); Kumari et al ( 2021 ); Liu et al ( 2021 ); Dang and Nguyen ( 2021 ) have analyzed the effects of Covid-19 on women but very meager literature is available on the stress factors that affect the women educationists during the challenging times of pandemic. The study is unique in its style as it highlights the problems faced by female educationists belonging to an emerging economy i.e.…”