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Ait Belkacem N, Gorgui J, Tchuente V, Aubin D, Lippé S, Bérard A. Maternal Mental Health in Pregnancy and Its Impact on Children's Cognitive Development at 18 Months, during the COVID-19 Pandemic (CONCEPTION Study). J Clin Med 2024; 13:1055. [PMID: 38398369 PMCID: PMC10889100 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13041055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the mental health of pregnant persons. OBJECTIVE We aimed to evaluate the impact of maternal mental health and antidepressant use on children's cognitive development. METHODS We followed a cohort of children born during the COVID-19 pandemic. Maternal mental health was self-reported during pregnancy (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, General Anxiety Disorder-7, stress levels, and antidepressant use). The child's cognitive development was measured using the third edition of the Ages & Stages Questionnaires® (ASQ-3) at 18 months. Multivariate multinomial logistic regression models were built to assess the association between in utero exposure to maternal mental health and ASQ-3 domains: communication, gross motor, fine motor, problem-solving, and personal-social. RESULTS Overall, 472 children were included in our analyses. After adjusting for potential confounders, a need for further assessment in communication (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 12.2, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.60;92.4)), and for improvement in gross motricity (aOR 6.33, 95%CI (2.06;19.4)) were associated with in utero anxiety. The need for improvement in fine motricity (aOR 4.11, 95%CI (1.00; 16.90)) was associated with antidepressant exposure. In utero depression was associated with a decrease in the need for improvement in problem solving (aOR 0.48, 95%CI (0.24; 0.98)). CONCLUSIONS During the COVID-19 pandemic, maternal mental health appears to be associated with some aspects of children's cognitive development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Narimene Ait Belkacem
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada; (N.A.B.); (J.G.)
- Research Center, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montreal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada; (V.T.); (D.A.); (S.L.)
| | - Jessica Gorgui
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada; (N.A.B.); (J.G.)
- Research Center, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montreal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada; (V.T.); (D.A.); (S.L.)
| | - Vanina Tchuente
- Research Center, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montreal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada; (V.T.); (D.A.); (S.L.)
| | - Delphine Aubin
- Research Center, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montreal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada; (V.T.); (D.A.); (S.L.)
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC H2V 2S9, Canada
| | - Sarah Lippé
- Research Center, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montreal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada; (V.T.); (D.A.); (S.L.)
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC H2V 2S9, Canada
| | - Anick Bérard
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada; (N.A.B.); (J.G.)
- Research Center, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montreal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada; (V.T.); (D.A.); (S.L.)
- Faculty of Medicine, Université Claude Bernard, Lyon 1, 69003 Lyon, France
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Lambregtse-van den Berg M, Quinlivan JA. Is COVID-19 related stress a distinct disorder? The different aspects of the impact of pandemic stress on pregnancy and child birth. J Psychosom Obstet Gynaecol 2023; 44:2173418. [PMID: 36789613 DOI: 10.1080/0167482x.2023.2173418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Julie A Quinlivan
- Institute for Health Research, University of Notre Dame Australia, Fremantle, Australia
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Szarpak L, Feduniw S, Pruc M, Ciebiera M, Cander B, Rahnama-Hezavah M, Szarpak Ł. The Vitamin D Serum Levels in Pregnant Women Affected by COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients 2023; 15:nu15112588. [PMID: 37299555 DOI: 10.3390/nu15112588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 05/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Vitamin D can modulate immune responses, and its deficiency is linked to increased autoimmunity and susceptibility to infection. In the general population, it has been observed that serum vitamin D levels are connected with the risk of COVID-19 and its severity. Our study aims to examine reported findings on the effect of vitamin D serum levels on infection of COVID-19 during pregnancy. PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched for relevant studies. Serum vitamin D serum levels in COVID-19-positive and COVID-19-negative pregnant women were 24.61 ± 20.86 ng/mL and 24.12 ± 17.33 ng/mL, respectively. In mild vs. moderate to critical COVID-19 pregnant women, vitamin D serum levels were 16.71 ± 9.04 ng/mL vs. 10.7 ± 9.37 ng/mL and severe vs. non-severe were 13.21 ± 11.47 ng/mL vs. 15.76 ± 10.0 ng/mL. Only one study reported vitamin D serum levels in the placenta of COVID-19-positive pregnant women compared with the control and results varied and amounted to 14.06 ± 0.51 ng/mL vs. 12.45 ± 0.58 ng/mL, respectively. Vitamin D deficiency tends to be common in pregnant women who have COVID-19, and the level of this vitamin has been demonstrated to have a strong correlation with the severity of the illness. As vitamin D serum levels correlate with COVID-19 symptoms and even with its occurrence, appropriate vitamin D supplementation in the prenatal period is suggested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luiza Szarpak
- Research Unit, Polish Society of Disaster Medicine, 05-806 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Stepan Feduniw
- Department of Obstetrics, University Hospital Zurich, Frauenklinikstrasse 10, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Gynecology, University Hospital Zurich, Frauenklinikstrasse 10, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Michal Pruc
- Research Unit, Polish Society of Disaster Medicine, 05-806 Warsaw, Poland
- Research Unit, International Academy of Ecology and Medicine, 02091 Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Michal Ciebiera
- Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, 00-189 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Basar Cander
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Bezmialem Vakif University, Fatih, 34093 Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Mansur Rahnama-Hezavah
- Chair and Department of Oral Surgery, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
| | - Łukasz Szarpak
- Henry JN Taub Department of Emergency Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Research Unit, Maria Sklodowska-Curie Bialystok Oncology Center, 15-027 Bialystok, Poland
- Institute of Outcomes Research, Maria Sklodowska-Curie Medical Academy, 00-136 Warsaw, Poland
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Grussu P, Jorizzo GJ, Alderdice F, Quatraro RM. Preventing, Mitigating, and Treating Women's Perinatal Mental Health Problems during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Scoping Review of Reviews with a Qualitative Narrative Synthesis. Behav Sci (Basel) 2023; 13:bs13050358. [PMID: 37232595 DOI: 10.3390/bs13050358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Meeting the mental health needs of perinatal women during the COVID-19 pandemic is a serious concern. This scoping review looks at how to prevent, mitigate or treat the mental health problems faced by women during a pandemic, and lays out suggestions for further research. Interventions for women with pre-existing mental health problems or health problems that develop during the perinatal period are included. The literature in English published in 2020-2021 is explored. Hand searches were conducted in PubMed and PsychINFO using the terms COVID-19, perinatal mental health and review. A total of 13 systematic and scoping reviews and meta-analyses were included. This scoping review shows that every woman should be assessed for mental health issues at every stage of her pregnancy and postpartum, with particular attention to women with a history of mental health problems. In the COVID-19 era, efforts should be focused on reducing the magnitude of stress and a perceived sense of lack of control experienced by perinatal women. Helpful instructions for women with perinatal mental health problems include mindfulness, distress tolerance skills, relaxation exercises, and interpersonal relationship building skills. Further longitudinal multicenter cohort studies could help improve the current knowledge. Promoting perinatal resilience and fostering positive coping skills, mitigating perinatal mental health problems, screening all prenatal and postpartum women for affective disorders, and using telehealth services appear to be indispensable resources. In future, governments and research agencies will need to pay greater attention to the trade-offs of reducing the spread of the virus through lockdowns, physical distancing, and quarantine measures and developing policies to mitigate the mental health impact on perinatal women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pietro Grussu
- Consultorio Familiare, South Padua District, Azienda ULSS 6 Euganea, Veneto Region, National Health Service, 35042 Este, Italy
| | - Gianfranco J Jorizzo
- Prenatal Medicine, Azienda ULSS 6 Euganea, Veneto Region, National Health Service, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Fiona Alderdice
- National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7LF, UK
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queens University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
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Berthelot N, Garon-Bissonnette J, Drouin-Maziade C, Bergeron V, Sériès T. STEP-COVID: a pilot study of a prenatal intervention for pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sci Rep 2023; 13:6466. [PMID: 37081093 PMCID: PMC10116444 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-33369-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with a global increase in psychological distress in pregnant women. This study evaluated the effects of STEP-COVID, a six-session mentalization-based prenatal group program offered online during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 100 participants were allocated to STEP-COVID or to the natural trajectory of prenatal care. Pre- and post-intervention assessments included measures of psychological distress, post-traumatic symptoms and positive affectivity. Perception of change during pregnancy on resilience-promoting factors was also assessed at post-intervention. A significant decrease in psychological distress and post-traumatic symptoms and an increase in positive affectivity were observed in participants in the intervention condition, whereas only post-traumatic symptoms improved in the control condition. Women who participated in STEP-COVID also reported greater changes during pregnancy on resilience-promoting factors than women in the control condition. Results hold promise for buffering the effect of the pandemic on the mental health of pregnant women using brief online interventions. Clinical trial registration: NCT05419167 (15/06/2022).
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Berthelot
- Department of Nursing Sciences, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada.
- Centre d'études interdisciplinaires sur le développement de l'enfant et la famille (CEIDEF), Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada.
- CERVO Brain Research Center, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Intimate Relationship Problems and Sexual Abuse (CRIPCAS), Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
- Groupe de recherche et d'intervention auprès des enfants vulnérables et négligés (GRIN), Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada.
| | - Julia Garon-Bissonnette
- Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada
- Centre d'études interdisciplinaires sur le développement de l'enfant et la famille (CEIDEF), Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada
- CERVO Brain Research Center, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Intimate Relationship Problems and Sexual Abuse (CRIPCAS), Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Groupe de recherche et d'intervention auprès des enfants vulnérables et négligés (GRIN), Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada
| | - Christine Drouin-Maziade
- Department of Nursing Sciences, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada
- Centre d'études interdisciplinaires sur le développement de l'enfant et la famille (CEIDEF), Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada
- Groupe de recherche et d'intervention auprès des enfants vulnérables et négligés (GRIN), Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada
| | - Vanessa Bergeron
- Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada
- Centre d'études interdisciplinaires sur le développement de l'enfant et la famille (CEIDEF), Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada
- Groupe de recherche et d'intervention auprès des enfants vulnérables et négligés (GRIN), Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada
| | - Thibaut Sériès
- Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada
- Centre d'études interdisciplinaires sur le développement de l'enfant et la famille (CEIDEF), Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Intimate Relationship Problems and Sexual Abuse (CRIPCAS), Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Groupe de recherche et d'intervention auprès des enfants vulnérables et négligés (GRIN), Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada
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The sFlt-1/PlGF Ratio in Pregnant Patients Affected by COVID-19. J Clin Med 2023; 12:jcm12031059. [PMID: 36769707 PMCID: PMC9917529 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12031059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 in pregnant women increases the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, including preeclampsia. This meta-analysis aimed to examine the effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection on sFlt-1/PIGF ratio during pregnancy. The study was designed as a systematic review and meta-analysis. PubMed, Web of Science, Embase and Cochrane Library were searched for relevant studies reporting the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio in pregnant women with COVID-19. Results were compared using meta-analysis by the Mantel-Haenszel method. A total of 7 studies were included in the analysis. sFlt-1/PlGF ratios between COVID-19 positive vs. negative women were 45.8 ± 50.3 vs. 37.4 ± 22.5, respectively (SMD = 1.76; 95% CI: 0.43 to 3.09; p = 0.01). sFlt-1/PlGF ratios between asymptomatic vs. symptomatic patients were 49.3 ± 35.7 vs. 37.1 ± 25.6 (SMD = 0.30; 95% CI: -0.35 to 0.95; p = 0.36). sFlt-1/PlGF ratio in non-severe group was 30.7 ± 56.5, compared to 64.7 ± 53.5 for severe patients (SMD = -1.88; 95% CI: -3.77 to 0.01; p = 0.05). sFlt-1/PlGF ratios in COVID-19 patients, with and without hypertensive disease of pregnancy, were 187.0 ± 121.8 vs. 21.6 ± 8.6, respectively (SMD = 2.46; 95% CI: 0.99 to 3.93; p = 0.001). Conclusions: Patients with COVID-19, as compared to patients without COVID-19, were characterized by higher sFlt-1/PlGF ratio. Moreover, severe COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 infection in hypertensive pregnant women was related to significantly higher sFlt-1/PlGF ratio.
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Tauqeer F, Ceulemans M, Gerbier E, Passier A, Oliver A, Foulon V, Panchaud A, Lupattelli A, Nordeng H. Mental health of pregnant and postpartum women during the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic: a European cross-sectional study. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e063391. [PMID: 36631239 PMCID: PMC9835449 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-063391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To describe the mental health of perinatal women in five European countries during the third pandemic wave and identify risk factors related to depressive and anxiety symptoms. DESIGN A cross-sectional, online survey-based study. SETTING Belgium, Norway, Switzerland, the Netherlands and the UK, 10 June 2021-22 August 2021. PARTICIPANTS Pregnant and up to 3 months postpartum women, older than 18 years of age. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE The Edinburgh Depression Scale (EDS) and the Generalised Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7) were used to assess mental health status. Univariate and multivariate generalised linear models were performed to identify factors associated with poor mental health. RESULTS 5210 women participated (including 3411 pregnant and 1799 postpartum women). The prevalence of major depressive symptoms (EDS ≥13) was 16.1% in the pregnancy group and 17.0% in the postpartum . Moderate to severe generalised anxiety symptoms (GAD ≥10) were found among 17.3% of the pregnant and 17.7% of the postpartum women. Risk factors associated with poor mental health included having a pre-existing mental illness, a chronic somatic illness, having had COVID-19 or its symptoms, smoking, unplanned pregnancy and country of residence. Among COVID-19 restrictive measures specific to perinatal care, pregnant and postpartum women were most anxious about not having their partner present at the time of delivery, that their partner had to leave the hospital early and to be separated from their newborn after the delivery. CONCLUSION Approximately one in six pregnant or postpartum women reported major depression or anxiety symptoms during the third wave of the pandemic. These findings suggest a continued need to monitor depression and anxiety in pregnancy and postpartum populations throughout and in the wake of the pandemic. Tailored support and counselling are essential to reduce the burden of the pandemic on perinatal and infant mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatima Tauqeer
- Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, and PharmaTox Strategic Research Initiative, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Michael Ceulemans
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Teratology Information Service, Pharmacovigilance Centre Lareb, 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
- L-C&Y, KU Leuven Child & Youth Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Eva Gerbier
- Department Woman-mother-child, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Anneke Passier
- Teratology Information Service, Pharmacovigilance Centre Lareb, 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
| | - Alison Oliver
- UK Teratology Information Service, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the UK Health Security Agency, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Veerle Foulon
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Alice Panchaud
- Institute of Primary Health Care (BIHAM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Service of Pharmacy, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Materno-fetal and Obstetrics Research Unit, Department "Femme-Mère-Enfant", University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Angela Lupattelli
- Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, and PharmaTox Strategic Research Initiative, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Hedvig Nordeng
- Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, and PharmaTox Strategic Research Initiative, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Child Health and Development, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
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Daugherty JC, Bueso-Izquierdo N, Lara-Cinisomo S, Lozano-Ruiz A, Caparros-Gonzalez RA. Partner relationship quality, social support and maternal stress during pregnancy and the first COVID-19 lockdown. J Psychosom Obstet Gynaecol 2022; 43:563-573. [PMID: 35867716 DOI: 10.1080/0167482x.2022.2101446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Pregnancy has been associated with diminished maternal mental health and a deterioration in partner relationship quality. The recent COVID-19 quarantine measures have created additional stressors for pregnant women due to isolation and a surge in partner conflict.Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess how partner relationship conflict and social support may mediate mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 lockdown.Methods: A cross-sectional study with a sample of 152 pregnant women using psychological measures, (i.e. Prenatal Distress Questionnaire, Symptom Checklist-90-R, Duke-UNC-11 Functional Social Support Questionnaire, Perceived Stress Scale). Demographic characteristics, obstetrics history, and partner relationship conflict were assessed using questionnaires.Results: While there were few reports of physical violence in this sample, between 18% and 59% of women reported partner relationship conflict on the psychological subscale (e.g. afraid of one's partner or screamed at by one's partner). Further, the psychological subscale was significantly associated with symptoms of psychopathology. There was a significant negative association between social support and pregnancy-specific stress (p = .005), and perceived stress (p= .038).Conclusions: These findings suggest that partner relationship conflict and social support may act as important buffers for prenatal mental health in childbearing women during vulnerable situations, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia C Daugherty
- Faculty of Education. Psychology Department, University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Natalia Bueso-Izquierdo
- Faculty of Education & Psychology. Psychology & Anthropology Department, University of Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
| | | | | | - Rafael A Caparros-Gonzalez
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria ibs.GRANADA, Granada, Spain
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Studniczek A, Kossakowska K. Experiencing Pregnancy during the COVID-19 Lockdown in Poland: A Cross-Sectional Study of the Mediating Effect of Resiliency on Prenatal Depression Symptoms. Behav Sci (Basel) 2022; 12:bs12100371. [PMID: 36285940 PMCID: PMC9598781 DOI: 10.3390/bs12100371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic in Poland brought uncertainty, not only to the general population but also to women preparing for childbirth, which increased the risk of mental health illnesses during this special period of life. Resilience, which refers to positive adaptation or the ability to maintain good mental health, can be a protective factor against the development of psychiatric problems such as depressive symptoms. This study aimed to assess the protective role of resilience in the relationship of such risk factors as traumatic childbirth perception and pandemic-related pregnancy stress with prenatal depressive symptoms. The study was performed at the end of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 80 pregnant women took part. A mediation analysis, an independent t-test, and a Pearson correlation analysis were conducted. The lower resilience group declared the inclusion of slightly more participants (n = 41; 51.2%); 39 women (48.8%) demonstrated a higher risk of prenatal depression. The analysis revealed a significant direct effect between pandemic-related stress and prenatal depression (βc = 0.285, SE = 0.05, t = 2.63, p < 0.05) as well as between pandemic-related stress and resilience (βa = −0.283, SE = 0.07, t = −2.61, p < 0.05) and between resilience and prenatal depression (βb = −0.585, SE = 0.07, t = −6.34, p < 0.001). After the introduction of resilience as a mediator, the strength of the relationship not only decreased, but also ceased to be statistically significant (βc′ = 0.120, SE = 0.04, t = 1.29, p = 0.19), which indicates that it was in a full mediation state (R2 = 0.39, F = 25.31, p < 0.001; Z = 2.43, p < 0.05). The results indicate that in pregnant women, a high level of resilience protects them from the effects of pandemic-related stress on perinatal depression symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Studniczek
- Expert’s Antenatal School, St. Family’s Maternity Hospital in Warsaw, 02-544 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Karolina Kossakowska
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychopathology, Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Lodz, Rodziny Scheiblerów Avenue 2, 90-128 Lodz, Poland
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +48-426655581
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Kołomańska-Bogucka D, Micek A, Mazur-Bialy AI. The COVID-19 Pandemic and Levels of Physical Activity in the Last Trimester, Life Satisfaction and Perceived Stress in Late Pregnancy and in the Early Puerperium. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19053066. [PMID: 35270759 PMCID: PMC8910231 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19053066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Background: The aim of this study was to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the levels of physical activity during the third trimester of pregnancy, life satisfaction and stress in women in late pregnancy and early postpartum. Methods: The study was conducted among 740 patients of maternity wards in Cracow hospitals on days 1−8 postpartum. Patients who were surveyed before the pandemic (December 2019−March 2020) were included in the prepandemic group (PPan: n = 252). The second group of women (COVID 1 group, Cov1: n = 262) was examined in the early stages of the pandemic (May−September 2020). In turn, participants who were surveyed during the population vaccination campaign (June−September 2021) were qualified to the COVID 2 group (Cov2: n = 226). The research tools used were the original questionnaire in addition to standardized questionnaires assessing physical activity in the last trimester of pregnancy (the Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire); previous life satisfaction (the Satisfaction with Life Scale); and stress levels during the last month (the Perceived Stress Scale). Results: During the pandemic, women reduced the level of energy spent on total physical activity; nevertheless, statistically significant differences were found only between the PPan and Cov2 groups (p = 0.001). At the early stages of the pandemic, patients significantly reduced mobility activities (Cov1 vs. PPan: p < 0.001; Cov1 vs. Cov2: p = 0.007), while late in the pandemic they spent less energy on household activities (Cov2 vs. PPan: p = 0.002, Cov2 vs. Cov1: p = 0.002). There were no differences in the levels of stress and life satisfaction. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the level of physical activity; however, it did not change levels of perceived stress and life satisfaction in women in late-stage pregnancy and in the early puerperium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daria Kołomańska-Bogucka
- Department of Biomechanics and Kinesiology, Faculty of Health Science, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Skawińska 8, 31-066 Krakow, Poland;
| | - Agnieszka Micek
- Faculty of Health Science, Institute of Nursing and Midwifery, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kopernika 25, 31-501 Krakow, Poland;
| | - Agnieszka I. Mazur-Bialy
- Department of Biomechanics and Kinesiology, Faculty of Health Science, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Skawińska 8, 31-066 Krakow, Poland;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +48-012-421-9351
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