Associations between COVID-19 lockdown and post-lockdown on the mental health of pregnant women, postpartum women and their partners from the Queensland family cohort prospective study
Abstract Background There are very few developed countries where physical isolation and low community transmission has been reported for COVID-19 but this has been the experience of Australia. The impact of physical isolation combined with low disease transmission on the mental health of pregnant wo...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-06-01
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| Series: | BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-022-04795-9 |
| _version_ | 1818202827743297536 |
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| author | Vicki L. Clifton Sailesh Kumar Danielle Borg Kym M. Rae Roslyn N. Boyd Koa Whittingham Karen M. Moritz Hannah E. Carter Steven M. McPhail Brenda Gannon Robert Ware Barnaby J. W. Dixson Samudragupta Bora Cameron Hurst |
| author_facet | Vicki L. Clifton Sailesh Kumar Danielle Borg Kym M. Rae Roslyn N. Boyd Koa Whittingham Karen M. Moritz Hannah E. Carter Steven M. McPhail Brenda Gannon Robert Ware Barnaby J. W. Dixson Samudragupta Bora Cameron Hurst |
| author_sort | Vicki L. Clifton |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background There are very few developed countries where physical isolation and low community transmission has been reported for COVID-19 but this has been the experience of Australia. The impact of physical isolation combined with low disease transmission on the mental health of pregnant women is currently unknown and there have been no studies examining the psychological experience for partners of pregnant women during lockdown. The aim of the current study was to examine the impact of the first COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020 and post lockdown from August 2020 on the mental health of pregnant women or postpartum women and their partners. Methods Pregnant women and their partners were prospectively recruited to the study before 24 weeks gestation and completed various questionnaires related to mental health and general wellbeing at 24 weeks gestation and then again at 6 weeks postpartum. The Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) were used as outcome measures for the assessment of mental health in women and DASS-21 was administered to their partners. This analysis encompasses 3 time points where families were recruited; before the pandemic (Aug 2018-Feb 2020), during lockdown (Mar-Aug 2020) and after the first lockdown was over (Sept-Dec 2020). Results There was no significant effect of COVID-19 lockdown and post lockdown on depression or postnatal depression in women when compared to a pre-COVID-19 subgroup. The odds of pregnant women or postpartum women experiencing severe anxiety was more than halved in women during lockdown relative to women in the pre-COVID-19 period (OR = 0.47; 95%CI: 0.27–0.81; P = 0.006). Following lockdown severe anxiety was comparable to the pre-COVID-19 women. Lockdown did not have any substantial effects on stress scores for pregnant and postpartum women. However, a substantial decrease of over 70% in the odds of severe stress was observed post-lockdown relative to pre-COVID-19 levels. Partner’s depression, anxiety and stress did not change significantly with lockdown or post lockdown. Conclusion A reproductive age population appear to be able to manage the impact of lockdown and the pandemic with some benefits related to reduced anxiety. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T03:15:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-90aaab3589cd40aaaade4019a504835f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2393 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T03:15:38Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth |
| spelling | doaj.art-90aaab3589cd40aaaade4019a504835f2022-12-22T00:40:17ZengBMCBMC Pregnancy and Childbirth1471-23932022-06-0122111210.1186/s12884-022-04795-9Associations between COVID-19 lockdown and post-lockdown on the mental health of pregnant women, postpartum women and their partners from the Queensland family cohort prospective studyVicki L. Clifton0Sailesh Kumar1Danielle Borg2Kym M. Rae3Roslyn N. Boyd4Koa Whittingham5Karen M. Moritz6Hannah E. Carter7Steven M. McPhail8Brenda Gannon9Robert Ware10Barnaby J. W. Dixson11Samudragupta Bora12Cameron Hurst13Mater Research Institute, The University of Queensland, Raymond TerraceMater Research Institute, The University of Queensland, Raymond TerraceMater Research Institute, The University of Queensland, Raymond TerraceMater Research Institute, The University of Queensland, Raymond TerraceFaculty of Medicine, Queensland Cerebral Palsy and Rehabilitation Research Centre, Child Health Research Centre, The University of QueenslandFaculty of Medicine, Queensland Cerebral Palsy and Rehabilitation Research Centre, Child Health Research Centre, The University of QueenslandSchool of Biomedical Sciences, the Child Health Research Centre, The University of QueenslandAustralian Centre for Health Services Innovation and Centre for Healthcare Transformation, School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of TechnologyAustralian Centre for Health Services Innovation and Centre for Healthcare Transformation, School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of TechnologyCentre for the Business and Economics of Health and School of Economics, The University of QueenslandMenzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith UniversitySchool of Health and Behavioural Sciences, University of the Sunshine CoastMater Research Institute, The University of Queensland, Raymond TerraceMolly Wardaguga Research Centre, Charles Darwin UniversityAbstract Background There are very few developed countries where physical isolation and low community transmission has been reported for COVID-19 but this has been the experience of Australia. The impact of physical isolation combined with low disease transmission on the mental health of pregnant women is currently unknown and there have been no studies examining the psychological experience for partners of pregnant women during lockdown. The aim of the current study was to examine the impact of the first COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020 and post lockdown from August 2020 on the mental health of pregnant women or postpartum women and their partners. Methods Pregnant women and their partners were prospectively recruited to the study before 24 weeks gestation and completed various questionnaires related to mental health and general wellbeing at 24 weeks gestation and then again at 6 weeks postpartum. The Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) were used as outcome measures for the assessment of mental health in women and DASS-21 was administered to their partners. This analysis encompasses 3 time points where families were recruited; before the pandemic (Aug 2018-Feb 2020), during lockdown (Mar-Aug 2020) and after the first lockdown was over (Sept-Dec 2020). Results There was no significant effect of COVID-19 lockdown and post lockdown on depression or postnatal depression in women when compared to a pre-COVID-19 subgroup. The odds of pregnant women or postpartum women experiencing severe anxiety was more than halved in women during lockdown relative to women in the pre-COVID-19 period (OR = 0.47; 95%CI: 0.27–0.81; P = 0.006). Following lockdown severe anxiety was comparable to the pre-COVID-19 women. Lockdown did not have any substantial effects on stress scores for pregnant and postpartum women. However, a substantial decrease of over 70% in the odds of severe stress was observed post-lockdown relative to pre-COVID-19 levels. Partner’s depression, anxiety and stress did not change significantly with lockdown or post lockdown. Conclusion A reproductive age population appear to be able to manage the impact of lockdown and the pandemic with some benefits related to reduced anxiety.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-022-04795-9PregnancyPostpartumMental healthAnxietyDepressionStress |
| spellingShingle | Vicki L. Clifton Sailesh Kumar Danielle Borg Kym M. Rae Roslyn N. Boyd Koa Whittingham Karen M. Moritz Hannah E. Carter Steven M. McPhail Brenda Gannon Robert Ware Barnaby J. W. Dixson Samudragupta Bora Cameron Hurst Associations between COVID-19 lockdown and post-lockdown on the mental health of pregnant women, postpartum women and their partners from the Queensland family cohort prospective study BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth Pregnancy Postpartum Mental health Anxiety Depression Stress |
| title | Associations between COVID-19 lockdown and post-lockdown on the mental health of pregnant women, postpartum women and their partners from the Queensland family cohort prospective study |
| title_full | Associations between COVID-19 lockdown and post-lockdown on the mental health of pregnant women, postpartum women and their partners from the Queensland family cohort prospective study |
| title_fullStr | Associations between COVID-19 lockdown and post-lockdown on the mental health of pregnant women, postpartum women and their partners from the Queensland family cohort prospective study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Associations between COVID-19 lockdown and post-lockdown on the mental health of pregnant women, postpartum women and their partners from the Queensland family cohort prospective study |
| title_short | Associations between COVID-19 lockdown and post-lockdown on the mental health of pregnant women, postpartum women and their partners from the Queensland family cohort prospective study |
| title_sort | associations between covid 19 lockdown and post lockdown on the mental health of pregnant women postpartum women and their partners from the queensland family cohort prospective study |
| topic | Pregnancy Postpartum Mental health Anxiety Depression Stress |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-022-04795-9 |
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