An Integrated Approach to Improve Maternal Mental Health and Well-Being During the COVID-19 Crisis
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has led to disruption of normal life across the globe, severely affecting the already vulnerable populations such as the pregnant women. Maternal mental health and well-being is a public health priority and the evidence about the impact of COVID-19 on mental health stat...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2020-11-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.598746/full |
| _version_ | 1818403272762851328 |
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| author | Rahul Shidhaye Rahul Shidhaye Purnima Madhivanan Purnima Madhivanan Purnima Madhivanan Pallavi Shidhaye Karl Krupp Karl Krupp |
| author_facet | Rahul Shidhaye Rahul Shidhaye Purnima Madhivanan Purnima Madhivanan Purnima Madhivanan Pallavi Shidhaye Karl Krupp Karl Krupp |
| author_sort | Rahul Shidhaye |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has led to disruption of normal life across the globe, severely affecting the already vulnerable populations such as the pregnant women. Maternal mental health and well-being is a public health priority and the evidence about the impact of COVID-19 on mental health status of pregnant women is gradually emerging. The findings of the recently published studies suggest that increased risk perception about contracting COVID-19, reduced social support, increase in domestic violence, disruption of antenatal care, and economic consequences of COVID-19 mitigation strategies can lead to adverse mental health outcomes in antenatal period. There is a significant increase in antenatal depression and anxiety since the onset of COVID-19 and social determinants of health (e.g., younger age, lower education, lower income) are associated with these poor outcomes. In this paper, we propose an integrated approach to improve the mental health and well-being of pregnant women. Physical activity and/or mind-body interventions like yoga can be practiced as self-care interventions by pregnant women. Despite social distancing being the current norm, efforts should be made to strengthen social support. Evidence-based interventions for perinatal depression should be integrated within the health system and stepped, collaborative care using non-specialist health workers as key human resource be utilized to improve access to mental health services. Use of digital platforms and smartphone enabled delivery of services has huge potential to further improve the access to care. Most importantly, the COVID-19 related policy guidelines should categorically include maternal mental health and well-being as a priority area. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T08:21:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-46e7d9c9754e41c7b2b1060560b61b56 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T08:21:38Z |
| publishDate | 2020-11-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-46e7d9c9754e41c7b2b1060560b61b562022-12-21T23:09:47ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402020-11-011110.3389/fpsyt.2020.598746598746An Integrated Approach to Improve Maternal Mental Health and Well-Being During the COVID-19 CrisisRahul Shidhaye0Rahul Shidhaye1Purnima Madhivanan2Purnima Madhivanan3Purnima Madhivanan4Pallavi Shidhaye5Karl Krupp6Karl Krupp7Directorate of Research, Pravara Institute of Medical Sciences, Loni, IndiaDepartment of Psychiatry, Pravara Institute of Medical Sciences, Loni, IndiaDepartment of Health Promotion Sciences, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United StatesDivision of Infectious Diseases and Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United StatesPublic Health Research Institute of India, Mysore, IndiaIndian Council of Medical Research-National AIDS Research Institute, Pune, IndiaDepartment of Health Promotion Sciences, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United StatesPublic Health Research Institute of India, Mysore, IndiaThe ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has led to disruption of normal life across the globe, severely affecting the already vulnerable populations such as the pregnant women. Maternal mental health and well-being is a public health priority and the evidence about the impact of COVID-19 on mental health status of pregnant women is gradually emerging. The findings of the recently published studies suggest that increased risk perception about contracting COVID-19, reduced social support, increase in domestic violence, disruption of antenatal care, and economic consequences of COVID-19 mitigation strategies can lead to adverse mental health outcomes in antenatal period. There is a significant increase in antenatal depression and anxiety since the onset of COVID-19 and social determinants of health (e.g., younger age, lower education, lower income) are associated with these poor outcomes. In this paper, we propose an integrated approach to improve the mental health and well-being of pregnant women. Physical activity and/or mind-body interventions like yoga can be practiced as self-care interventions by pregnant women. Despite social distancing being the current norm, efforts should be made to strengthen social support. Evidence-based interventions for perinatal depression should be integrated within the health system and stepped, collaborative care using non-specialist health workers as key human resource be utilized to improve access to mental health services. Use of digital platforms and smartphone enabled delivery of services has huge potential to further improve the access to care. Most importantly, the COVID-19 related policy guidelines should categorically include maternal mental health and well-being as a priority area.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.598746/fullpregnancymaternal mental healthself-care (MeSH)social support (MeSH term)health systemCOVID-19 pandemic |
| spellingShingle | Rahul Shidhaye Rahul Shidhaye Purnima Madhivanan Purnima Madhivanan Purnima Madhivanan Pallavi Shidhaye Karl Krupp Karl Krupp An Integrated Approach to Improve Maternal Mental Health and Well-Being During the COVID-19 Crisis Frontiers in Psychiatry pregnancy maternal mental health self-care (MeSH) social support (MeSH term) health system COVID-19 pandemic |
| title | An Integrated Approach to Improve Maternal Mental Health and Well-Being During the COVID-19 Crisis |
| title_full | An Integrated Approach to Improve Maternal Mental Health and Well-Being During the COVID-19 Crisis |
| title_fullStr | An Integrated Approach to Improve Maternal Mental Health and Well-Being During the COVID-19 Crisis |
| title_full_unstemmed | An Integrated Approach to Improve Maternal Mental Health and Well-Being During the COVID-19 Crisis |
| title_short | An Integrated Approach to Improve Maternal Mental Health and Well-Being During the COVID-19 Crisis |
| title_sort | integrated approach to improve maternal mental health and well being during the covid 19 crisis |
| topic | pregnancy maternal mental health self-care (MeSH) social support (MeSH term) health system COVID-19 pandemic |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.598746/full |
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