Pregnant women need better mental health support during COVID pandemic, reveals study

After a survey indicated that nearly three-quarters of those who were pregnant during the pandemic had moderate to high levels of discomfort, and one in five developed depressive symptoms, a group of researchers proposed that more mental health supports for pregnant women be needed. The study's findings were published in the journal Canadian Family Physician.

The researchers assessed over 1,500 pregnant women online, 87% of whom were Canadian, during the COVID-19 pandemic, led by doctors from Unity Health Toronto. Nearly 69% of respondents said they were in moderate to severe distress, and 20% said they had depressive symptoms.

The findings highlight the impact pandemic has on families

Dr. Tali Bogler, research lead author and family physician and chair of family medicine obstetrics at St. Michael's Hospital of Unity Health Toronto, said, "The high levels of distress highlight the importance of considering mental health centrally in supports for this population. The findings also highlight the overall impact the pandemic has had on families in general and the downstream impact this will have."

Although the study was limited by the lack of comparable data on levels of distress among pregnant women prior to the pandemic. However, before the pandemic, a population-based survey in Japan indicated that 28 to 32% of pregnant women were distressed. Researchers wanted to know what were the most common reasons of worry for pregnant parents during the pandemic. To find out, the participants were given a list of 27 worries and asked to rate how concerned they were about each one.

The worries of first-time parents and more than one-time parents differed

"Hospital policies regarding support persons in labour, not being able to introduce their baby to loved ones, getting sick from COVID-19 while pregnant, not being able to rely on family or friends for support after labour, and conflicting medical information on COVID-19 in pregnancy and newborns, especially early in the pandemic," were among the top five concerns during pregnancy. The worries of first-time parents and more than one-time parents differed. The hospital tours were more concerning to first-time parents, but the transmission of COVID-19 from older children in the home was more concerning to more than one-time parents.

(Inputs from ANI)

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