Background: Women in the postpartum period may be particularly vulnerable to the psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of our study was to evaluate the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on postpartum depression and anxiety levels and the role of the fear of COVID-19 in its development. Methods: Women who delivered at the Bissaya Barreto Maternity Hospital, between 16 March and 16 June 2020 (Group 1: Birth in COVID-19 period, n = 207), recruited in the postpartum period, filled in a set of self-reported validated questionnaires: Perinatal Depression Screening Scale, Perinatal Anxiety Screening Scale, Profile of Mood States, Perseverative Thinking Questionnaire, Dysfunctional Beliefs Towards Maternity Scale, and the Fear of COVID-19 Scale. Levels of depressive and anxious symptomatology, negative affect, negative repetitive thinking, and the dysfunctional beliefs towards motherhood of these women were compared with data from samples of previous studies that included women whose delivery had occurred at the same Maternity Hospital before the COVID-19 pandemic period (Group 2: Birth before the COVID-19 period, n = 212). Results: Based on the cutoff points of the screening scales, the prevalence of clinically relevant depressive and anxious symptoms in Group 1 was 40.1% and 36.2%, respectively. Women in Group 1 had significantly higher levels of anxious and depressive symptoms, negative affect, negative repetitive thinking, and dysfunctional beliefs towards motherhood than women in Group 2 (p < 0.05). Fear of COVID-19 in the postpartum period was a predictor of depressive (ß = 0.262) and anxious (ß = 0.371) symptoms, explaining 6.9% and 13.7% of their variability, respectively (p < 0.001). Conclusion: During the COVID-19 pandemic, women in the postpartum period present greater depressive and anxious symptomatology, as well as increased risk factors.

Introduction The Portuguese version of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S; Cabaços et al. 2021), composed of seven items, presented good validity and reliability to be used in general population. To be used within perinatal context, specifically in the postpartum period, we have added an item related to the baby (item 8 – “I’m afraid my baby will be infected with coronavirus-19”). Objectives To analyze the psychometric properties of Portuguese adapted version of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale for the postpartum period (FCV-19SP), namely construct validity, internal consistency, and convergent validity. Methods 207 women (mean age= 33.51 ± 5.23 years) recruited in the postpartum period (9,06 ± 8,52 months after delivery) fill in a set of self-reported validated questionnaires: Perinatal Depression Screening Scale (PDSS), Perinatal Anxiety Screening Scale (PASS) and Coronavirus-19 Fear Scale for the postpartum period (FCV-19SP). Results CFA revealed that the unifactorial model composed of eight items presented good fit indexes (X2/df=1.508; CFI=.991; GFI=.974; TLI=.983; p[RMSEA≤.01] = .049), better than those of the seven items version (X2/df=3.963; CFI=.957; GFI=.909; TLI=.905; p[RMSEA≤.01] =.219). Cronbach alpha for the FCV-19SPP was α=.880. The total score significantly (p<.01) and moderately correlated with PDSS (r=.262) and PASS (r=.371). Conclusions The FCV-19SP is a valid and reliable questionnaire to assess fear of COVID-19 in women in the postpartum period. Disclosure No significant relationships.

IntroductionPostpartum depression, refers to depressive symptoms within a 12-month period after the birth of an infant in a new father or mother. It’s have been a growing mental health concern, as it is one of the leading causes of poor familial and infant health outcomes. Despite the growing attention being given to fathers’ depression, including in Portugal, prevalence data and its possible correlates are still scarce compared to depression in mothers, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.ObjectivesTo explore and compare levels of depressive symptomatology and to analyze potential correlates for postpartum depression in Portuguese new mothers and fathers during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods153 men and 187 women (mean age: 36.61± 4.99 vs. 32.98 ±5.00 years, respectively) were recruited in the perinatal period (7.29±3.22 vs 8.58± 0.97 months post-partum) and answered to an online survey that included questions related to sociodemographic and psychosocial variables and validated questionnaires: Perinatal Depression Screening Scale (PDSS), Perseverative Thinking Questionnaire (for Repetitive Negative Thinking/RNT) and Dysfunctional Beliefs Towards Motherhood/Fatherhood Scale (DBTM/F). Statistical analysis was performed using IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS Version 26 for Mac).ResultsNew-mothers had significantly higher levels of depressive symptoms than new-fathers (41.89±16.94 VS. 33.95±14.99, p<.001). Based on the PDSS’ cutoff point the prevalence of clinically relevant depressive symptoms in male and female progenitors was 21.6% and 39.6%, respectively (p<.001).DBTF were significantly higher compared to DBTM (p<.05). Male and female progenitors did not differ regarding levels of RNT.DBT-M/F (r».40) and RNT (r>.55) significantly and positively correlated with PDSS scores.In both genders, DBT-M/F and RNT significantly (p<.01) predicted PDSS scores explaining 33.8% (Beta: DBT=.136, p=.050; RNT=.538, p<.01) of its variance in fathers and 50.4% in mothers (Beta: DBT=.218, p=.001; RNT=.565, p<.01).ConclusionsDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, Portuguese recent mothers had higher levels of depressive symptoms when compared to recent fathers. However, in both new mothers and fathers, depressive symptoms’ prevalence and severity were higher than the figures found in samples of new parents outside of the pandemic period and of samples from the general population. Addressing DBT-M/F, as well as RNT, in recent parents, could be relevant in preventing/improving their depressive symptoms.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared