The COVID-19 Pandemic Impacted Maternal Mental Health Differently Depending on Pregnancy Status and Trimester of Gestation

Anick Bérard, Jessica Gorgui, Vanina Tchuente, Anaïs Lacasse, Yessica-Haydee Gomez, Sylvana Côté, Suzanne King, Flory Muanda, Yves Mufike, Isabelle Boucoiran, Anne Monique Nuyt, Caroline Quach, Ema Ferreira, Padma Kaul, Brandace Winquist, Kieran J. O’Donnell, Sherif Eltonsy, Dan Chateau, Jin-Ping Zhao, Gillian Hanley, Tim Oberlander, Behrouz Kassai, Sabine Mainbourg, Sasha Bernatsky, Évelyne Vinet, Annie Brodeur-Doucet, Jackie Demers, Philippe Richebé and Valerie Zaphiratos
Additional contact information
Anick Bérard: Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada
Jessica Gorgui: Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada
Vanina Tchuente: Research Center, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montreal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada
Anaïs Lacasse: Health Sciences Department, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Rouyn-Noranda, QC J9X 5E4, Canada
Yessica-Haydee Gomez: Research Center, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montreal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada
Sylvana Côté: Research Center, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montreal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada
Suzanne King: Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 2M1, Canada
Flory Muanda: Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Western University, London, ON N6A 5W9, Canada
Yves Mufike: Department of Family Medicine, Protestant University in Congo, Kinshasa II, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Isabelle Boucoiran: Research Center, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montreal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada
Anne Monique Nuyt: Research Center, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montreal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada
Caroline Quach: Research Center, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montreal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada
Ema Ferreira: Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada
Padma Kaul: Department of Medicine, 4-120 Katz Group Centre for Pharmacy and Health Research, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AL T6G 2R7, Canada
Brandace Winquist: College of Medicine, Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, University of Saskatcheawan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5, Canada
Kieran J. O’Donnell: Yale Child Study Center, Department of OB/GYN and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
Sherif Eltonsy: College of Pharmacy, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0W2, Canada
Dan Chateau: Manitoba Center for Health Policy, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3P5, Canada
Jin-Ping Zhao: Research Center, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montreal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada
Gillian Hanley: Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
Tim Oberlander: Department of Pediatrics, School of Population and Public Health, University of BC, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
Behrouz Kassai: Department of Clinical Epidemiology, UMR 5558 CNRS, Clinical Investigation Centre, Inserm-Hospices Civils de Lyon, Claude Bernard University Lyon 1, 69000 Lyon, France
Sabine Mainbourg: Faculty of Medicine, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 69003 Lyon, France
Sasha Bernatsky: Divisions of Clinical Epidemiology and Rheumatology, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
Évelyne Vinet: Divisions of Clinical Epidemiology and Rheumatology, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
Annie Brodeur-Doucet: Dispensaire Diététique de Montréal/Montreal Diet Dispensary, Montreal, QC H3H 1J3, Canada
Jackie Demers: Dispensaire Diététique de Montréal/Montreal Diet Dispensary, Montreal, QC H3H 1J3, Canada
Philippe Richebé: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, CIUSSS de l’Est de l’Ile de Montreal, Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC H1T 2M4, Canada
Valerie Zaphiratos: Research Center, Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital, CIUSSS de l’Est de l’Ile de Montreal, Montreal, QC H1T 2M4, Canada

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 5, 1-19

Abstract: Introduction: We aimed to measure the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal mental health, stratifying on pregnancy status, trimester of gestation, and pandemic period/wave. Methods: Pregnant persons and persons who delivered in Canada during the pandemic, >18 years, were recruited, and data were collected using a web-based strategy. The current analysis includes data on persons enrolled between 06/2020–08/2021. Maternal sociodemographic indicators, mental health measures (Edinburgh Perinatal Depression Scale (EPDS), Generalized Anxiety Disorders (GAD-7), stress) were self-reported. Maternal mental health in pregnant women (stratified by trimester, and pandemic period/wave at recruitment) was compared with the mental health of women who had delivered; determinants of severe depression were identified with multivariate logistic regression models. Results: 2574 persons were pregnant and 626 had already delivered at recruitment. Participants who had delivered had significantly higher mean depressive symptom scores compared to those pregnant at recruitment (9.1 (SD, 5.7) vs. 8.4 (SD, 5.3), p = 0.009). Maternal anxiety (aOR 1.51; 95%CI 1.44–1.59) and stress (aOR 1.35; 95%CI 1.24–1.48) were the most significant predictors of severe maternal depression (EDPS ˃ 13) in pregnancy. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on maternal depression during pregnancy and in the post-partum period. Given that gestational depression/anxiety/stress has been associated with preterm birth and childhood cognitive problems, it is essential to continue following women/children, and develop strategies to reduce COVID-19′s longer-term impact.

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic; maternal mental health; pregnancy and delivery; trimester of pregnancy; Edinburgh Perinatal Depression Scale (EPDS); Generalized Anxiety Disorders (GAD-7); stress (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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