Pregnant women suffered more anxiety during Covid-19 pandemic: Study
London, February 6: Covid-19 pandemic has caused an increase in depression and anxiety in pregnant women, according to a recent study published in 'BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth'.
The study by the University of Essex found that social support shielded against anxiety symptoms associated with the global pandemic, however, it also noted that the changes to maternity services forced by lockdown and other restrictions likely had a negative impact on mental health.
The lack of appointments and other changes to face-to-face communication, according to the research, may have had an impact on well-being.
Dr Silvia Rigato, the senior author, stated that it was critical to "maintain maternal wellness during pregnancy and beyond" as well as "ensure that all children, and their new families, are given the greatest possible start in life."
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The research found a 30% increase in reported depression rates from pre-pandemic levels, from 17% to 47%, as well as a 37% increase in anxiety rates in expecting mothers, from 37% to 60%.
Dr Maria Laura Filippetti and Dr Rigato, researchers at the University of Essex's Essex Babylab, undertook a peer-reviewed study of 150 women that took place during the peak of the Coronavirus outbreak, between April 2020 and January 2021, before the vaccination program was launched.
Prenatal trauma, such as that experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic, was found to significantly increase vulnerability to mental health disorders, according to the study.
Pregnant women with more depressive symptoms reported feeling less attached to their unborn child, according to the study.
"While this result is consistent with previous observations that a woman's mood during pregnancy influences her early relationship with her child, it reinforces the need for authorities to support women throughout their pregnancy and the postnatal period in order to protect their health and the development of their infants," Dr Rigato said.
Furthermore, the study found out that social support has a positive effect on the mental health of expecting mothers.
The researchers found out that women who thought Covid-19 would have a negative impact had higher levels of anxiety.
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Help from partners, family and friends, as well as the NHS, was found to be a protective factor, with fewer negative symptoms.
"The high rates of depression and anxiety during the pandemic highlighted by our study suggest that expectant women are facing a mental health crisis that can significantly interfere and impair mother-infant bonding during pregnancy, and can potentially impact on childbirth outcome, as well as later infant and child development," said Dr Filippetti.
-PTC News
