The Impact of Postpartum Depression on the Early Mother-Infant Relationship during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Perception versus Reality

Misty C. Richards (), Camila A. Ferrario, Ying Yan and Nicole M. McDonald
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Misty C. Richards: Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
Camila A. Ferrario: Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
Ying Yan: Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
Nicole M. McDonald: Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA

IJERPH, 2024, vol. 21, issue 2, 1-12

Abstract: Postpartum depression (PPD) can interfere with the establishment of affective bonds between infant and mother, which is important for the cognitive, social–emotional, and physical development of the child. Rates of PPD have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, likely due to the added stress and limited support available to new parents. The present study examined whether parenting-related stress, perceived bonding impairments, the quality of observed mother–infant interactions, and salivary oxytocin levels differ between depressed and non-depressed mothers, along with differential impacts of COVID-19 on depressed mothers. Participants included 70 mothers (45 depressed, 25 controls) with infants aged 2–6 months. All data were collected remotely to ease participant burden during the pandemic. Depression was associated with experiences of heightened parenting-related stress and bonding difficulties. These differences were not observed during mother–infant interactions or in salivary oxytocin levels. Differences in COVID-19-related experiences were minimal, though depressed mothers rated slightly higher stress associated with returning to work and financial impacts of the pandemic. Findings highlight the importance of early intervention for PPD to mitigate long-term effects on mothers, children, and families. Additionally, they underscore the need for early intervention to support the developing mother–infant dyad relationship during this crucial time.

Keywords: postpartum depression; perinatal depression; mother-infant bonding; mother–infant play interactions; oxytocin (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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