The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Depressive Disorder with Postpartum Onset: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 has led to a global health crisis that is defining for our times and one of the greatest challenges to emerge since World War II. The potential impact of the pandemic on mental health should not be overlooked, especially among vulnerable populations such as women who gave birth during the COVID-19 pandemic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study is a cross-sectional survey conducted from 1 March 2020 to 1 March 2023, during the period of the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic, based on a retrospective evaluation of 860 postpartum women. The screening tool used to assess symptoms of postpartum depression was the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Rating Scale (EPDS) questionnaire. The questionnaire was completed both in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Clinical Sections I and II of the "Pius Brînzeu" County Emergency Hospital in Timisoara, Romania, and online using Google Forms. RESULTS: The highest severity of postpartum depression symptoms was observed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results of the study conducted during the period of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic (COVID-19) showed that the prevalence of major postpartum depressive disorder (EPDS ≥ 13) was 54.2% (466 patients), while 15.6% (134) had minor depressive disorder (10 < EPDS ≤ 12) in the first year after delivery. Comparing these results with those obtained in research conducted before the onset of the pandemic period showed an alarming increase in the prevalence of postpartum depression. The risk factors associated with postpartum depression included the type of delivery, level of education, socio-economic conditions, health status, age, background, and personal obstetric history (number of abortions on demand, parity). CONCLUSIONS: The effects of the pandemic on mental health are of particular concern for women in the first year after childbirth. Observing these challenges and developing effective measures to prepare our health system early can be of great help for similar situations in the future. This will help and facilitate effective mental health screening for postpartum women, promoting maternal and child health.

The Influence of Maternal Psychological Manifestations on the Mother-Child Couple during the Early COVID-19 Pandemic in Two Hospitals in Timisoara, Romania.

Background and objectives: The postpartum maternal physical and psychological state played a fundamental role in the mother−child relationship at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the study is to analyze the influence of maternal psychological manifestations on the mother−child couple through three objectives (briefly expressed): (I) Determination of the main acute and chronic conditions of newborns/infants. (II) Verification of the hypothesis of the existence of a link between the following neonatal variables: gestational age, birth weight, number of days of hospitalization, and specific neonatal therapies (oxygen, surfactant, and blood products' transfusion). (III) Verification of the influence of postpartum maternal psychological status on the mother−child couple through three hypotheses. Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in two hospitals in Timișoara, Romania, between 1 March and 1 September 2020, and included 165 mothers and their 175 newborns. Mothers answered the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, Spielberger's Inventory of State-Trait Anxiety, and the Collins and Read Revised Adult Attachment Scale. Results: (I) The acute and chronic pathology of the infants in the study group was polymorphic. (II) Large correlations were identified between the following infant variables: gestational age with birth weight, and number of hospitalization days with birth weight, gestational age, and use of blood product transfusion (all p < 0.001). (III) (1) State anxiety was the only significant predictor of number of hospitalization days (p = 0.037), number of acute disorders (p = 0.028), and number of infant chronic diseases (p = 0.037). (2) Maternal depressive symptoms were the only predictor of postpartum maternal attachment (p = 0.018). (3) Depressive symptoms, state, and trait anxiety were non-significant in all models studied (all p > 0.05). Conclusions: Postpartum maternal physical and psychological state plays a fundamental role on the mother−child relationship in the new social and complex family conditions.