Prevalence of Depression, Anxiety, and Perceived Stress in Postpartum Mexican Women during the COVID-19 Lockdown

Blanca Vianey Suárez-Rico, Guadalupe Estrada-Gutierrez, Maribel Sánchez-Martínez, Otilia Perichart-Perera, Carolina Rodríguez-Hernández, Carla González-Leyva, Erika Osorio-Valencia, Arturo Cardona-Pérez, Addy Cecilia Helguera-Repetto, Salvador Espino y Sosa, Mario Solis-Paredes and Enrique Reyes-Muñoz
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Blanca Vianey Suárez-Rico: Community Intervention Research Branch, National Institute of Perinatology, Ministry of Health, Mexico City 11000, Mexico
Guadalupe Estrada-Gutierrez: Research Division, National Institute of Perinatology, Ministry of Health, Mexico City 11000, Mexico
Maribel Sánchez-Martínez: Department of Inmunobiochemistry, National Institute of Perinatology, Ministry of Health, Mexico City 11000, Mexico
Otilia Perichart-Perera: Department of Nutrition and Bioprograming, National Institute of Perinatology, Ministry of Health, Mexico City 11000, Mexico
Carolina Rodríguez-Hernández: Department of Nutrition and Bioprograming, National Institute of Perinatology, Ministry of Health, Mexico City 11000, Mexico
Carla González-Leyva: Department of Nutrition and Bioprograming, National Institute of Perinatology, Ministry of Health, Mexico City 11000, Mexico
Erika Osorio-Valencia: Department of Developmental Neurobiology, National Institute of Perinatology, Ministry of Health, Mexico City 11000, Mexico
Arturo Cardona-Pérez: General Direction, National Institute of Perinatology, Ministry of Health, Mexico City 11000, Mexico
Addy Cecilia Helguera-Repetto: Department of Inmunobiochemistry, National Institute of Perinatology, Ministry of Health, Mexico City 11000, Mexico
Salvador Espino y Sosa: Clinical Research Branch, National Institute of Perinatology, Ministry of Health, Mexico City 11000, Mexico
Mario Solis-Paredes: Department of Genetics, National Institute of Perinatology, Ministry of Health, Mexico City 11000, Mexico
Enrique Reyes-Muñoz: Coordination of Gynecological and Perinatal Endocrinology, National Institute of Perinatology, Ministry of Health, Mexico City 11000, Mexico

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 9, 1-9

Abstract: The COVID-19 lockdown represents a new challenge for mental health researchers and clinical practitioners. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and perceived stress in postpartum Mexican women. The study included 293, 4–12-week postpartum women over the age of 18. The Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS), Trait-State Trait Anxiety Inventory (T-STAI), and Ten Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), which are all questionnaires validated for the Mexican population, were applied using a web-based online survey. Prevalence and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. The mean ± standard deviation (SD) of the maternal age was 29.9 ± 6.3 years; the EPDS score: 11 ± 6, T-STAI score: 41.7 ± 12.3, and PSS-10 score: 17.1 ± 7. The prevalence (95% CI) of the postpartum depression symptoms was 39.2% (34–45%), trait anxiety symptoms were found among 46.1% (32–43%) of the participants, and moderate and high perceived stress were in 58% (52–64) and 10.9% (7.8–15) of the participants, respectively. The prevalence of depressive symptoms, generalized anxiety, and perceived stress was higher among postpartum Mexican women during the COVID-19 outbreak than before the lockdown. Our findings highlight the importance of monitoring perinatal mental health during pandemics and the need to design effective psychologic interventions for these patients.

Keywords: Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale; postpartum; anxiety; perceived stress; COVID-19; lockdown (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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