The impact of Covid-19 restrictions on depressive symptoms in low-risk and high-risk pregnant women: a cross-sectional study before and during pandemic

BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2022 Mar 8;22(1):191. doi: 10.1186/s12884-022-04515-3.

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 social restrictions have increased the risk for depression compared to the previous period in Italian women with Low-Risk Pregnancy (LRP). lLess is known about the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on High-Risk Pregnancy (HRP). This study aimed: 1) to explore levels of depression in women who become pregnant before and during COVID-19 pandemic, distinguishing between LRP and HRP; 2) to analyze the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on pregnancy experience in LRP and HRP.

Methods: A before-during COVID-19 pandemic cross-sectional study was carried out on 155 pregnant women (Mean age = 34.18), between 23 and 32 weeks of gestation. 77 women were recruited before COVID-19 pandemic (51.9% LRP; 48.1% HRP) and 78 women were recruited during COVID-19 pandemic (51.3% LRP; 48.7% HRP). HRP group was enrolled during hospitalization for high-risk pregnancy. Participants filled out Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Moreover, only COVID-19 group answered an open-ended question about the impact of restriction on pregnancy experience.

Results: HRP women reported higher levels of depressive symptoms than LRP. No difference emerged for COVID (before/during) but an interaction effect between COVID-19 and obstetric condition was found. The qualitative results showed the impact of restrictions on emotions and concerns.

Conclusion: Respect to the previous period, LRP women during COVID-19 presented an increased risk for depressive symptoms than HRP. The HRP women during COVID-19 seemed to use hospitalization as a resource to find a social support network with other pregnant women and to be reassured on the clinical ongoing of pregnancy.

Keywords: COVID-19 restrictions; Depressive symptoms; High-risk pregnancy; Hospitalization; Low-risk pregnancy; Open-ended question.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • COVID-19 / psychology*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Depression / psychology*
  • Emotions
  • Female
  • Hospitalization
  • Humans
  • Italy
  • Middle Aged
  • Pregnancy / psychology
  • Pregnancy, High-Risk / psychology*
  • Pregnant People / psychology*
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
  • Quality of Health Care
  • Quarantine / psychology
  • SARS-CoV-2