The COVID-19 pandemic has had repercussions on the mental health of women during pregnancy and postpartum, confirms part of the CONCEPTION study conducted by Anick Bérard, researcher at CHU Sainte-Justine and full professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy from the University of Montreal. And its influence is greater than that of other historic crises, such as the 1998 ice storm or the Zika virus crisis.
Study resultswhich looks at the first three waves of the pandemic, were recently published in theInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
According to the data collected, 23% of pregnant or postpartum women suffered from major depressive symptoms and, in nearly 40% of them, these symptoms were moderate to severe, relating in particular to anxiety and stress.
“While great attention is paid to the physical health of pregnant women, these results prove that it is also necessary to consider their mental health and to put in place appropriate psychological support programs during pregnancy and after childbirth”, maintains Anick Berard.
The CONCEPTION study also showed that women who gave birth during the pandemic had more severe symptoms of depression than expectant mothers. The prevalence of symptoms in pregnant women increased as they approached delivery.
“Depression, anxiety and stress in pregnant women are associated with risks of premature birth and cognitive problems during childhood. To properly measure the impact of these depressive symptoms and implement strategies to reduce it, we now believe it is necessary to ensure longitudinal follow-up of children born during this period”, specifies the researcher.
According to the study, the second wave of the pandemic, between December 2020 and April 2021, had the greatest impact on the mental health of pregnant women among the three waves analyzed.
Methodology
The research team recruited 3,200 Canadian women through social media and select obstetric clinics between June 2020 and August 2021, including 2,574 pregnant women and 626 postpartum women. Using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) test, analysis of socio-demographic factors and mental health measures compared outcomes by stage of pregnancy, the gestational trimester and the pandemic period (wave of cases). Pregnant participants completed an online questionnaire at two time points: at recruitment during pregnancy and two months postpartum; women who had already given birth completed the questionnaire only once.
CONCEPTION study participants and their children are followed up at 18 months after birth, and some children are assessed in person at 24 months.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the CONCEPTION study is recruiting still.