Mental health status of pregnant and breastfeeding women during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A call for action

Ceulemans, Michael; Hompes, Titia; Foulon, Veerle

doi:10.1002/ijgo.13295

Cited by 216 publications

(272 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…The Canadian study found an elevated rate of depression and anxiety symptoms among pregnant women in comparison with previous meta analyses [21]. In another study of 5866 pregnant and breastfeeding women during the lockdown period in Belgium, an elevated rate of depression and anxiety symptoms was reported in comparison with reported rates prior to the pandemic [23]. In fact, most studies were conducted in the COVID-19 epidemic early on or in the quarantine period when psychological well-being of pregnant women had been severely affected.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 69%

Pregnant Women’s Well-being and Worry During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Comparative Study

Mortazavi

Mehrabadi

KiaeeTabar

2020

Preprint

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Background: COVID-19 caused some worries among pregnant women. Worries during pregnancy can affect women’s well-being. We investigated worry and well-being and associated factors among pregnant women during the COVID-19 epidemic.Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 484 pregnant women using an online questionnaire. Sampling was performed in a period between May 5 and Aug 5, 2020. Inclusion criteria were having a single healthy fetus and having no significant psychological disorder. We collected the data using the Persian versions of the World Health Organization's well-being Index (WHO-5 well-being index) and the Cambridge worry scale.Results: The mean total scores of the WHO-5 well-being index and the rate of WHO-5 score < 50 were 64.9 ± 29.0 and 24.4%, respectively. Predictors of women’s worry are the increased level of fear of COVID-19, a low family income, employment situation, nulliparity, and having no close family member with chronic disease (p < 0.05). The results of logistic regression analysis on well-being scores showed that the worry about fetus health (OR = 1.081, p = 0.005), women’s own health and relationships (OR = 1.055, p = 0.047), and having an infected person with COVID-19 among relatives (OR = 2.095, p = 0.039) could predict the well-being in pregnant women. The mean score of worry about fetus health in the current study was lower than that of the previous study (p = 0.024). The mean score of socio-economic worry in the current study was higher than that of the previous cross-sectional study (p = 0.025). The result indicates that the percentage of participants with a low level of well-being did not differ by the two periods under study (chi-square = 0.099, p = 0.753) (table 7). Conclusions: The percentage of women experiencing a low well-being state was relatively high. This result is worthy of attention by health care providers and policy makers. To decrease women’s socio economic concerns, governments and charities should expand programs providing financial support to pregnant women in low-income families. Providing care and support to pregnant women should have high priority during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 69%

Pregnant Women’s Well-being and Worry During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Comparative Study

Mortazavi

Mehrabadi

KiaeeTabar

2020

Preprint

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“…By comparison, Sri Lankan women displayed a higher rate of anxiety than that observed in Chongqing, despite the fact that Sri Lanka had successfully contained the spread of the virus at the time of the study (10.4% vs 17.5%). Other studies have also reported higher prevalence of perinatal and postpartum anxiety and depression during the COVID‐19 pandemic 6,7 …”

Section: Demographic Characteristics Frequency (%) N=257 Normal (%mentioning

confidence: 92%

Psychological impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic among pregnant women in Sri Lanka

Patabendige¹,

Gamage

Weerasinghe

et al. 2020

Intl J Gynecology & Obste

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“…Future studies could also qualitatively investigate the breastfeeding intentions of mothers who delivered during the pandemic. Given the impact of the lockdown on women's support and perinatal mental health [33,34], awareness of clinicians and governmental perinatal organizations is, however, required to ensure the emotional wellbeing of women and to safeguard perinatal and infant mental health in the wake of the pandemic.…”

Section: Future Perspectivesmentioning

confidence: 99%

SARS-CoV-2 Infections and Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Pregnancy and Breastfeeding: Results from an Observational Study in Primary Care in Belgium

Ceulemans

Verbakel

Calsteren

et al. 2020

IJERPH

Self Cite

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COVID-19 also affects pregnant and breastfeeding women. Hence, clinicians and policymakers require reliable evidence on COVID-19 epidemiology and consequences in this population. We aimed to assess the susceptibility of pregnant women to SARS-CoV-2 and women’s perceived impact of the pandemic on their breastfeeding practices, medical counseling and social support. We performed a cross-sectional study using an online survey in primary care in Belgium. Pregnant and breastfeeding women and women who breastfed in the preceding four weeks were eligible to participate. The survey was distributed through social media in April 2020. In total, 6470 women participated (i.e., 2647 pregnant and 3823 breastfeeding women). Overall, 0.3% of all respondents reported to have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, not indicating a higher susceptibility of pregnant women to contracting COVID-19. More than 90% refuted that the pandemic affected their breastfeeding practices, nor indicated that the coronavirus was responsible for breastfeeding cessation. Half of the women even considered giving longer breastmilk because of the coronavirus. In contrast, women’s medical counseling and social support were negatively affected by the lockdown. Women without previous breastfeeding experience and in the early postpartum period experienced a higher burden in terms of reduced medical counseling and support. In the future, more consideration and alternative supportive measures such as tele-visits by midwives or perinatal organizations are required for these women.

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Mental health status of pregnant and breastfeeding women during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A call for action

Abstract: Increased prevalence of depressive symptoms and anxiety among pregnant women and women in the early postpartum period was observed during the lockdown in Belgium. Obstetricians must take actions to safeguard perinatal mental health.

Cited by 216 publications

References 3 publications

Pregnant Women’s Well-being and Worry During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Comparative Study

Pregnant Women’s Well-being and Worry During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Comparative Study

Psychological impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic among pregnant women in Sri Lanka

SARS-CoV-2 Infections and Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Pregnancy and Breastfeeding: Results from an Observational Study in Primary Care in Belgium

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