The need for additional mental health support for women in the postpartum period in the times of epidemic crisis
Background: This retrospective study aimed to identify possible intensification of mental health difficulties among women seeking support in the postpartum period during the epidemic state in Poland. We assumed that the epidemic crisis, social isolation, and restrictions in hospitals which affect pregnant and postpartum women - lack of family labors, lack of the possibility to be with the newborn when he/she is hospitalized, may increase fear and reduce psychosocial resources of women, hinder their normal process of transition to motherhood and thus contribute to the intensified severity of depressive symptoms.
Methods: The study participants were women seeking support at the on-line platform of the project ‘Next Stop: Mum’, which is a part of the postpartum depression prevention’s program implemented by the Ministry of Health in Poland, and enables remote self-screening for the severity of the postpartum depression symptoms with the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale developed by Cox and collaborators. The analyzed data in this study were obtained from 139 women: 61 filled forms from October 1 - November 10, 2019 (non-epidemic period), and 78 filled forms from February 20 - March 30 (beginning of the COVID-19 epidemic), 2020.
Results: A statistically significant difference in the severity of postpartum depression symptoms were observed among women making a self-assessment with EPDS scale at the beginning of the COVID-19 epidemic in Poland (M = 15.71; SD = 6.23), compared to the pre-epidemic neutral period (M = 13.56; SD = 6.46).
Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that the epidemic crisis may be associated with an increased need for additional caution and support of women's mental health in the postpartum period. We believe that recommendations for medical staff, policy, and families of women struggling with postpartum depression symptoms during crisis should be widespread as the second wave of COVID-19 disease may develop in the autumn-winter 2020 and spring 2021.
Figure 1
This is a list of supplementary files associated with this preprint. Click to download.
Posted 13 Jan, 2021
On 05 Jan, 2021
On 29 Dec, 2020
Received 25 Dec, 2020
On 09 Dec, 2020
Received 09 Dec, 2020
On 08 Dec, 2020
Invitations sent on 07 Dec, 2020
On 05 Dec, 2020
On 05 Dec, 2020
On 05 Dec, 2020
On 28 Nov, 2020
Received 16 Nov, 2020
On 04 Nov, 2020
On 24 Oct, 2020
Received 24 Oct, 2020
Invitations sent on 23 Oct, 2020
On 22 Oct, 2020
On 21 Oct, 2020
On 21 Oct, 2020
On 17 Sep, 2020
Received 16 Sep, 2020
Received 01 Sep, 2020
On 16 Aug, 2020
On 09 Aug, 2020
On 07 Aug, 2020
Received 07 Aug, 2020
Invitations sent on 06 Aug, 2020
On 20 Jul, 2020
On 19 Jul, 2020
On 19 Jul, 2020
On 17 Jul, 2020
The need for additional mental health support for women in the postpartum period in the times of epidemic crisis
Posted 13 Jan, 2021
On 05 Jan, 2021
On 29 Dec, 2020
Received 25 Dec, 2020
On 09 Dec, 2020
Received 09 Dec, 2020
On 08 Dec, 2020
Invitations sent on 07 Dec, 2020
On 05 Dec, 2020
On 05 Dec, 2020
On 05 Dec, 2020
On 28 Nov, 2020
Received 16 Nov, 2020
On 04 Nov, 2020
On 24 Oct, 2020
Received 24 Oct, 2020
Invitations sent on 23 Oct, 2020
On 22 Oct, 2020
On 21 Oct, 2020
On 21 Oct, 2020
On 17 Sep, 2020
Received 16 Sep, 2020
Received 01 Sep, 2020
On 16 Aug, 2020
On 09 Aug, 2020
On 07 Aug, 2020
Received 07 Aug, 2020
Invitations sent on 06 Aug, 2020
On 20 Jul, 2020
On 19 Jul, 2020
On 19 Jul, 2020
On 17 Jul, 2020
Background: This retrospective study aimed to identify possible intensification of mental health difficulties among women seeking support in the postpartum period during the epidemic state in Poland. We assumed that the epidemic crisis, social isolation, and restrictions in hospitals which affect pregnant and postpartum women - lack of family labors, lack of the possibility to be with the newborn when he/she is hospitalized, may increase fear and reduce psychosocial resources of women, hinder their normal process of transition to motherhood and thus contribute to the intensified severity of depressive symptoms.
Methods: The study participants were women seeking support at the on-line platform of the project ‘Next Stop: Mum’, which is a part of the postpartum depression prevention’s program implemented by the Ministry of Health in Poland, and enables remote self-screening for the severity of the postpartum depression symptoms with the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale developed by Cox and collaborators. The analyzed data in this study were obtained from 139 women: 61 filled forms from October 1 - November 10, 2019 (non-epidemic period), and 78 filled forms from February 20 - March 30 (beginning of the COVID-19 epidemic), 2020.
Results: A statistically significant difference in the severity of postpartum depression symptoms were observed among women making a self-assessment with EPDS scale at the beginning of the COVID-19 epidemic in Poland (M = 15.71; SD = 6.23), compared to the pre-epidemic neutral period (M = 13.56; SD = 6.46).
Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that the epidemic crisis may be associated with an increased need for additional caution and support of women's mental health in the postpartum period. We believe that recommendations for medical staff, policy, and families of women struggling with postpartum depression symptoms during crisis should be widespread as the second wave of COVID-19 disease may develop in the autumn-winter 2020 and spring 2021.
Figure 1