Impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on women's perinatal mental health and its association with personality traits: An observational study
Abstract Introduction The burden of perinatal mental health problems was expected to increase during the COVID‐19 pandemic. We prospectively investigated the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on the mental health of pregnant and postpartum women in Norway and explored associations with their sociodemo...
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Wiley
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/aogs.14525 |
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| author | Karine S. Birkelund Solrun S. Rasmussen Simone E. Shwank Jonas Johnson Ganesh Acharya |
| author_facet | Karine S. Birkelund Solrun S. Rasmussen Simone E. Shwank Jonas Johnson Ganesh Acharya |
| author_sort | Karine S. Birkelund |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Introduction The burden of perinatal mental health problems was expected to increase during the COVID‐19 pandemic. We prospectively investigated the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on the mental health of pregnant and postpartum women in Norway and explored associations with their sociodemographic characteristics and personality traits. Material and methods Sociodemographic information and the self‐reported impact of pandemic on wellbeing of pregnant women was collected using an online survey. To assess women's mental health, two validated questionnaires, the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder‐7 item Scale (GAD‐7), were used prenatally and postnatally. Personality traits were evaluated using HumanGuide, a web‐based ipsative psychological evaluation instrument. Results 772 women were included prenatally, of which 526 also responded to the survey 4–6 weeks postnatally. The median age was 29 years, 53.6% of the women were nulliparous when enrolled, and 35.1% worked in the healthcare sector. The median EPDS (6.0; interquartile range [IQR] 3.0–10.0 vs 6.0; IQR: 3.0–10.0) and the median GAD‐7 (5.0; IQR 2.0–9.0 vs 5.0; IQR 2.0–9.0) were similar pre‐and postnatally. Prenatally, the proportion of women scoring ≥13 on EPDS and ≥10 on GAD‐7 was 14.5% (112/772) and 21.5% (166/772), whereas the postnatal figures were 15.6% (82/526) and 21.5% (113/526), respectively. The differences were not significant (P = 0.59 and P = 0.99). Being <25 years of age, being on pre‐pregnancy psychotherapy or psychotropic medication, frequent voluntary isolation, perception of maternity care not proceeding normally, avoiding seeking medical assistance due to fear of infection and having negative economic consequences during the COVID19 pandemic significantly increased the risk of both anxiety (GAD‐7 ≥10) and depression (EPDS ≥13). Nullipara had a higher risk of anxiety, whereas being a healthcare worker had a lower risk. The personality trait factors Power (P = 0.008), Quality (P = 0.008), Stability (P < 0.001) and Contacts (P < 0.001) were significant predictors of depression among pregnant women, whereas the Quality (P = 0.005) and Contacts (P = 0.003) were significant predictors of anxiety. Conclusions During the initial phase of the COVID‐19 pandemic, the prevalence of depression (EPDS ≥ 13) and anxiety (GAD‐7 ≥ 10) was 14.5% and 21.5%, respectively, among Norwegian pregnant women. Certain sociodemographic characteristics and personality traits were significant predictors of depression and anxiety. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-47618a98caed4bca9a4310da85b44698 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0001-6349 1600-0412 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
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| series | Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica |
| spelling | doaj-art-47618a98caed4bca9a4310da85b446982025-08-20T03:30:57ZengWileyActa Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica0001-63491600-04122023-03-01102327028110.1111/aogs.14525Impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on women's perinatal mental health and its association with personality traits: An observational studyKarine S. Birkelund0Solrun S. Rasmussen1Simone E. Shwank2Jonas Johnson3Ganesh Acharya4Women's Health and Perinatology Research Group, Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences UiT‐The Arctic University of Norway Tromsø NorwayWomen's Health and Perinatology Research Group, Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences UiT‐The Arctic University of Norway Tromsø NorwayWomen's Health and Perinatology Research Group, Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences UiT‐The Arctic University of Norway Tromsø NorwayDivision of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention & Technology (CLINTEC) Karolinska Institutet Stockholm SwedenWomen's Health and Perinatology Research Group, Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences UiT‐The Arctic University of Norway Tromsø NorwayAbstract Introduction The burden of perinatal mental health problems was expected to increase during the COVID‐19 pandemic. We prospectively investigated the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on the mental health of pregnant and postpartum women in Norway and explored associations with their sociodemographic characteristics and personality traits. Material and methods Sociodemographic information and the self‐reported impact of pandemic on wellbeing of pregnant women was collected using an online survey. To assess women's mental health, two validated questionnaires, the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder‐7 item Scale (GAD‐7), were used prenatally and postnatally. Personality traits were evaluated using HumanGuide, a web‐based ipsative psychological evaluation instrument. Results 772 women were included prenatally, of which 526 also responded to the survey 4–6 weeks postnatally. The median age was 29 years, 53.6% of the women were nulliparous when enrolled, and 35.1% worked in the healthcare sector. The median EPDS (6.0; interquartile range [IQR] 3.0–10.0 vs 6.0; IQR: 3.0–10.0) and the median GAD‐7 (5.0; IQR 2.0–9.0 vs 5.0; IQR 2.0–9.0) were similar pre‐and postnatally. Prenatally, the proportion of women scoring ≥13 on EPDS and ≥10 on GAD‐7 was 14.5% (112/772) and 21.5% (166/772), whereas the postnatal figures were 15.6% (82/526) and 21.5% (113/526), respectively. The differences were not significant (P = 0.59 and P = 0.99). Being <25 years of age, being on pre‐pregnancy psychotherapy or psychotropic medication, frequent voluntary isolation, perception of maternity care not proceeding normally, avoiding seeking medical assistance due to fear of infection and having negative economic consequences during the COVID19 pandemic significantly increased the risk of both anxiety (GAD‐7 ≥10) and depression (EPDS ≥13). Nullipara had a higher risk of anxiety, whereas being a healthcare worker had a lower risk. The personality trait factors Power (P = 0.008), Quality (P = 0.008), Stability (P < 0.001) and Contacts (P < 0.001) were significant predictors of depression among pregnant women, whereas the Quality (P = 0.005) and Contacts (P = 0.003) were significant predictors of anxiety. Conclusions During the initial phase of the COVID‐19 pandemic, the prevalence of depression (EPDS ≥ 13) and anxiety (GAD‐7 ≥ 10) was 14.5% and 21.5%, respectively, among Norwegian pregnant women. Certain sociodemographic characteristics and personality traits were significant predictors of depression and anxiety.https://doi.org/10.1111/aogs.14525anxietyCOVID‐19depressionmental healthperinatal mental healthpostnatal depression |
| spellingShingle | Karine S. Birkelund Solrun S. Rasmussen Simone E. Shwank Jonas Johnson Ganesh Acharya Impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on women's perinatal mental health and its association with personality traits: An observational study Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica anxiety COVID‐19 depression mental health perinatal mental health postnatal depression |
| title | Impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on women's perinatal mental health and its association with personality traits: An observational study |
| title_full | Impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on women's perinatal mental health and its association with personality traits: An observational study |
| title_fullStr | Impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on women's perinatal mental health and its association with personality traits: An observational study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on women's perinatal mental health and its association with personality traits: An observational study |
| title_short | Impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on women's perinatal mental health and its association with personality traits: An observational study |
| title_sort | impact of the covid 19 pandemic on women s perinatal mental health and its association with personality traits an observational study |
| topic | anxiety COVID‐19 depression mental health perinatal mental health postnatal depression |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/aogs.14525 |
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