Does the COVID-19 Pandemic Affect Labor-Related Anxiety and Prevalence of Depressive Symptoms in Pregnant Women?

The COVID-19 pandemic undoubtedly had significant effects on women's health and the course of pregnancy. The aim of this single-center study was to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adult pregnant and postpartum women's mental health, as well as to identify factors associated with depressive symptoms, anxiety and fear of delivery. The 465 women included in this questionnaire-based cohort study were divided into two groups: one (controls) of women who gave birth before (n = 190), and the second who were pregnant and delivered during the pandemic (n = 275). The COVID-19 pandemic affected the severity of self-reported anxiety regarding childbirth (mean scores 2.7 vs. 2.36, p = 0.01). The depression (19.84 ± 13.23) and anxiety (16.71 ± 12.53) scores were higher in pregnant women during the COVID 19 pandemic, compared to women who gave birth before the pandemic (8.21 ± 7.38 and 11.67 ± 9.23, respectively). These findings demonstrate the magnitude of the pandemic's impact on women's mental health, and actions to improve the mental health of pregnant women in Poland may be crucial for maternal and fetal well-being.

Personality Traits, Metabolic Control and the Use of Insulin Pump Functions in Adults With Type 1 Diabetes: An Observational Single-Visit Study.

INTRODUCTION: While a few studies have assessed the association between personality and metabolic outcomes in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1DM), there have been none in adults or in subjects treated with insulin pumps, and hypoglycaemic episodes have not been considered in these studies. The aim of this observational single-visit study was to assess the association between personality traits and metabolic control, hypoglycaemic episodes and insulin pump use in adult T1DM patients. METHODS: Data were obtained from 52 adults with T1DM treated in a tertiary care centre (no complications or comorbidities; aged 27 ± 8 years; diabetes duration of 12.8 ± 6.8 years; treated with insulin pumps for 6.3 ± 0.4 years). "Big Five" personality traits (neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness) were assessed using the NEO-Five Factor Inventory questionnaire. Data on HbA1c, blood glucose levels, frequency of glucose testing, the number of hypoglycaemic episodes (< 3.9 mmol/l), basal and prandial insulin doses, and the number and types of boluses in the last 14 days were obtained from the insulin pumps and glucometers. RESULTS: The mean levels of the assessed parameters were: HbA1c 7.2 ± 1.2% (55.0 ± 13.1 mmol/mol), episodes of hypoglycaemia 7.0 (3.00-9.75) and glucose tests per day 7.3 ± 3.9. All personality traits showed average intensity. None of the traits were associated with HbA1c, glycaemia, number of glucose tests, or number or kind of insulin boluses. Conscientiousness was the only factor associated with the incidence of hypoglycaemia in both univariate (r = + 0.46, p < 0.001) and multivariate (ß = + 0.41, p < 0.001) analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Despite results reported for children and adolescents, personality traits of adult patients with T1DM were not essential for metabolic control assessed by HbA1c or for the use of insulin pump functions; however, higher conscientiousness may be related to more frequent hypoglycaemic episodes. Extrinsic factors should be searched as more relevant for metabolic control and proper use of very expensive insulin pump therapy.

Assessment of diabetes control in insulin pump therapy in late adolescentsand young adults with type 1 diabetes.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to evaluate metabolic control in insulin pump therapy (IPT) in late adolescents and young adults with type 1 diabetes mellitus. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was conducted in 86 subjects with type 1 diabetes, and included 45 patients aged 16-19 years (mean 17.6±1.2) treated in a pediatric outpatient clinic and 41 subjects aged 19-26 years (mean 22.8±2.2) treated in an adult outpatient clinic of the same university hospital, who received the same refund of IPT. RESULTS: Late adolescents had a lower BMI (22.7±2.9 kg/m2 vs. 24.2±3.2 kg/m2; P<0.05), higher HbA1c (69.4±15.1 mmol/mol vs. 58.5±11.8 mmol/mol; P<0.001) and mean blood glucose levels (10.4±2.6 mmol/l vs. 9.2±1.4 mmol/l, P<0.05), and received higher insulin doses per day (0.85±0.23 IU/kg vs. 0.65±0.13 IU/kg; P<0.001). The mean diabetes and IPT duration, number of visits, basal/bolus insulin ratio, number of insulin boluses, blood glucose tests and the episodes of hypoglycemia were similar. CONCLUSIONS: Metabolic control in late adolescents with type 1 diabetes on IPT is significantly worse than in young adults, despite higher doses of insulin and very similar way of treatment and self-control. This may be related to the patients age or the less rigorous approach to therapeutic recommendations resulting from pediatric diabetes care.