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Ulrich SE, Sugg MM, Desjardins MR, Runkle JD. Disparities in spatiotemporal clustering of maternal mental health conditions before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Health Place 2024; 89:103307. [PMID: 38954963 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2024.103307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
Mounting evidence indicates the worsening of maternal mental health conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mental health conditions are the leading cause of preventable death during the perinatal and postpartum periods. Our study sought to detect space-time patterns in the distribution of maternal mental health conditions in pregnant women before (2016-2019) and during (2020-2021) the COVID-19 pandemic in North Carolina, USA. Using the space-time Poisson model in SaTScan, we performed univariate and multivariate cluster analysis of emergency department (ED) visits for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMAD), severe mental illness (SMI), maternal mental disorders of pregnancy (MDP), suicidal thoughts, and suicide attempts during the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods. Clusters were adjusted for age, race, and insurance type. Significant multivariate and univariate PMAD, SMI, and MDP clustering persisted across both periods in North Carolina, while univariate clustering for both suicide outcomes decreased during the pandemic. Local relative risk (RR) for all conditions increased drastically in select locations. The number of zip code tabulation areas (ZCTAs) included in clusters decreased, while the proportion of urban locations included in clusters increased for non-suicide outcomes. Average yearly case counts for all maternal mental health outcomes increased during the pandemic. Results provide contextual and spatial information concerning at-risk maternal populations with a high burden of perinatal mental health disorders before and during the pandemic and emphasize the necessity of urgent and targeted expansion of mental health resources in select communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Ulrich
- Department of Geography and Planning, P.O. Box 32066, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC, 28608, USA.
| | - Margaret M Sugg
- Department of Geography and Planning, P.O. Box 32066, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC, 28608, USA.
| | - Michael R Desjardins
- Department of Epidemiology & Spatial Science for Public Health Center, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Jennifer D Runkle
- North Carolina Institute for Climate Studies, North Carolina State University, 151 Patton Avenue, Asheville, NC, 28801, USA
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Werchan DM, Hendrix CL, Hume AM, Zhang M, Thomason ME, Brito NH. Effects of prenatal psychosocial stress and COVID-19 infection on infant attention and socioemotional development. Pediatr Res 2024; 95:1279-1287. [PMID: 37752245 PMCID: PMC10965506 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-023-02807-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically altered the psychosocial environment of pregnant women and new mothers. In addition, prenatal infection is a known risk factor for altered fetal development. Here we examine joint effects of maternal psychosocial stress and COVID-19 infection during pregnancy on infant attention at 6 months postpartum. METHOD One-hundred and sixty-seven pregnant mothers and infants (40% non-White; n = 71 females) were recruited in New York City (n = 50 COVID+, n = 117 COVID-). Infants' attentional processing was assessed at 6 months, and socioemotional function and neurodevelopmental risk were evaluated at 12 months. RESULTS Maternal psychosocial stress and COVID-19 infection during pregnancy jointly predicted infant attention at 6 months. In mothers reporting positive COVID-19 infection, higher prenatal psychosocial stress was associated with lower infant attention at 6 months. Exploratory analyses indicated that infant attention in turn predicted socioemotional function and neurodevelopmental risk at 12 months. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that maternal psychosocial stress and COVID-19 infection during pregnancy may have joint effects on infant attention at 6 months. This work adds to a growing literature on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on infant development, and may point to maternal psychosocial stress as an important target for intervention. IMPACT This study found that elevated maternal psychosocial stress and COVID-19 infection during pregnancy jointly predicted lower infant attention scores at 6 months, which is a known marker of risk for neurodevelopmental disorder. In turn, infant attention predicted socioemotional function and risk for neurodevelopmental disorder at 12 months. These data suggest that maternal psychosocial stress may modulate the effects of gestational infection on neurodevelopment and highlight malleable targets for intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denise M Werchan
- Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU Langone, New York, NY, USA.
| | | | - Amy M Hume
- Department of Applied Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Margaret Zhang
- Department of Applied Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Moriah E Thomason
- Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU Langone, New York, NY, USA
| | - Natalie H Brito
- Department of Applied Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
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Sacchi C, Girardi P, Buri A, De Carli P, Simonelli A. The perinatal health secondary to pandemic: association between women's delivery concerns and infant's behavioral problems. J Reprod Infant Psychol 2024:1-16. [PMID: 38493474 DOI: 10.1080/02646838.2024.2330662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND COVID-19 pandemic characterised a unique and vulnerable social, emotional, and health environment for pregnancy, with potential long-lasting risks to maternal and child health outcomes. In women who were pregnant at the peak of COVID-19 pandemic, we investigated the association between pandemic-related concerns about pregnancy and delivery and both the parent's (i.e. maternal parenting stress) and the infant's (i.e. emotional-behavioral problems) outcomes 12 months after birth. METHODS A sample of 352 Italian pregnant women completed a web-based survey from 8 April to 4 May 2020 and a follow-up at 12 months after delivery. Maternal assessment in pregnancy covered prenatal measures for: pandemic-related concerns about pregnancy and childbirth, COVID-19 stressful events exposure, pandemic psychological stress, and mental-health symptoms (i.e. depression, anxiety). The 12 months' assessment covered post-partum measures of social support, parenting stress and maternal reports of infants' behavioral problems. RESULTS The results of the Quasi-Poisson regression models on the association between COVID-19 related influencing factors and parenting stress and infant's behavioral problems showed that the presence of higher pandemic-related concerns about pregnancy and childbirth scores was associated with greater total and internalising behavioral problems but not with parenting stress levels. CONCLUSION Perinatal mother-infant health has been sensitively threatened by pandemic consequences with maternal concerns about childbirth in pregnancy being associated with 12 months' children's behavioral outcomes. There is a need to invest in psychological support for perinatal women throughout the transition to parenthood to protect risk conditions before they get chronic or severe and influence offspring development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Sacchi
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Paolo Girardi
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Venezia, Italy
| | - Alice Buri
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Pietro De Carli
- Department of Psychology, University of Milano Bicocca, Milano, Italy
| | - Alessandra Simonelli
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
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Riggan KA, Weaver AL, Ashby G, Huang L, Long ME, Torbenson VE, Wick MJ, Allyse MA, Rivera-Chiauzzi EY. Influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on prenatal and postpartum patient experiences and well-being. Birth 2023; 50:1034-1044. [PMID: 37555375 PMCID: PMC10843728 DOI: 10.1111/birt.12760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND It has yet to be fully elucidated how differing populations of obstetric patients adapted to the disruptions in perinatal care and postpartum support from the COVID-19 pandemic. We surveyed an enriched sample of socioeconomically advantaged patients to understand the influence of COVID-19 on their perinatal care experience, well-being, and coping. METHODS We surveyed pregnant and postpartum patients (n = 6140) at a large academic medical center in the Midwest of the United States using the Coronavirus and Perinatal Experiences instrument in Spring 2021. RESULTS The survey was sent to 6141 pregnant and postpartum patients; 1180 (17.8%) respondents completed the survey, including 256 who were pregnant and 834 postpartum. Most pregnant patients experienced no changes in their prenatal care with 16.5% indicating somewhat worsened care. In the postpartum cohort, 37.5% stated their care had somewhat worsened. In describing influences on stress and mental health, 58.1% of postpartum respondents stated it was moderately, and 17.4% significantly, worse. The pandemic had a somewhat or moderately negative influence for 72.7% of respondents, with 11.0% stating these effects were extremely negative. Both cohorts characterized a range of coping strategies, most commonly, talking with friends and family (76.3%). CONCLUSION(S) Even among this sample of socioeconomically advantaged patients, respondents indicated that the pandemic disrupted many facets of their medical care and daily life, especially social activities and postpartum support. Our findings suggest that counseling on coping and adaptation strategies for stressors and increased health systems support be part of perinatal care during public health emergencies for all demographic groups.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amy L. Weaver
- Division of Clinical Trials and Biostatistics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
| | | | - Lily Huang
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL
| | - Margaret E. Long
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
| | | | - Myra J. Wick
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
| | - Megan A. Allyse
- Biomedical Ethics Research Program, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
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Kinser PA, Bodnar-Deren S, Amstadter AB, Lapato DM, Thacker LR, Johnson JA, Aubry C, Johnson A, Gault C, Hill-Thomas A, Russell S, Lanni S, Freeman A. Study protocol for the Mindful Moms Study: A randomized controlled trial evaluating a mindful movement intervention for marginalized pregnant people experiencing depression. Contemp Clin Trials 2023; 132:107302. [PMID: 37500008 PMCID: PMC10529983 DOI: 10.1016/j.cct.2023.107302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
More than 1 in 5 pregnant people in the United States experience depressive symptoms. Although treatments exist, many people remain under- or un-treated due to concerns about stigma, side effects, and costs of medications or psychotherapy, particularly those who are marginalized (defined as those who are minoritized, low-income, or with low-educational attainment). Further, the standard depression treatments do not address social connectedness, which is a potentially modifiable factor involved in depressive symptom etiology. This protocol presents the rationale, design, and status of the two-arm longitudinal parallel group randomized controlled trial - the Mindful Moms Study - which aims to evaluate the effects and mechanisms of a group-based mindful physical activity (yoga) intervention in marginalized pregnant people with depressive symptoms (n = 200) compared to a prenatal education control group. The primary aim is to evaluate effects of group assignment on depressive symptom severity, anxiety, and perceived stress over time from baseline to six weeks postpartum. Secondary aims include understanding the role of social connectedness as a moderator of the effects and to identify genome-wide DNA methylation patterns associated with depressive symptoms and perceived social connectedness at postpartum. A focus on adequate symptom management through non-pharmacologic, accessible therapies that address social connectedness during pregnancy in marginalized women is an urgent clinical and research priority. The successful completion of this study will provide important insights into social connectedness as a mechanism to decrease depressive symptoms in a largely understudied population. Trial registration: NCT04886856.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia A Kinser
- School of Nursing, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA; Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA.
| | - Susan Bodnar-Deren
- Department of Sociology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Ananda B Amstadter
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Dana M Lapato
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA; Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Leroy R Thacker
- Department of Biostatistics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Jennifer A Johnson
- Department of Sociology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Christine Aubry
- School of Nursing, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Anisa Johnson
- School of Nursing, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Candice Gault
- School of Nursing, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Ariel Hill-Thomas
- School of Nursing, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Sally Russell
- School of Nursing, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Susan Lanni
- School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
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Lara MA, Navarrete L, Medina E, Patiño P, Tiburcio M. Impact of Facebook on Social Support and Emotional Wellbeing in Perinatal Women during Three Waves of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Mexico: A Descriptive Qualitative Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:2472. [PMID: 36767838 PMCID: PMC9916316 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20032472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic affected the mental health of pregnant and postpartum women in unique, unprecedented ways. Given the impossibility of delivering face-to-face care, digital platforms emerged as a first-line solution to provide emotional support. This qualitative study sought to examine the role that a closed Facebook group (CFG) played in providing social support for Mexican perinatal women and to explore the concerns they shared during the COVID-19 pandemic. A thematic analysis of all the posts in the CFG yielded nine main categories: (1) COVID-19 infections in participants and their families; (2) fear of infection; (3) infection prevention; (4) health services; (5) vaccines; (6) concerns about non-COVID-19-related health care; (7) effects of social isolation; (8) probable mental health cases; and (9) work outside the home. Participants faced stressful situations and demands that caused intense fear and worry. In addition to household tasks and perinatal care, they were responsible for adopting COVID-19 preventive measures and caring for infected family members. The main coping mechanism was their religious faith. The CFG was found to be a useful forum for supporting perinatal women, where they could share concerns, resolve doubts, and obtain information in a warm, compassionate, and empathetic atmosphere. Health providers would be advised to seek new social media to improve the quality of their services.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura Navarrete
- Dirección de Investigaciones Epidemiológicas y Psicosociales, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, Ciudad de México 14370, México
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Alao MA, Ibrahim OR, Iloh KK, Ayuk AC, Diala UM, Briggs DC, Imam ZO, Yekini SA, Sotimehin SA, Musa AZ, Famutimi EO, Idris AA, Odimegwu CL, Imam ZK, Medupin PF, Adeyemi AT, Nnamani KO, Tongo OO. Factors associated with common mental disorders among breastfeeding mothers in tertiary hospital nurseries in Nigeria. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0281704. [PMID: 36893141 PMCID: PMC9997879 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0281704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 03/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Several studies have shown that the impact of maternal mental health disorders on newborns' well-being in low and middle-income countries (LMIC) are underreported, multi-dimensional and varies over time and differs from what is reported in high-income countries. We present the prevalence and risk factors associated with common mental disorders (CMDs) among breastfeeding mothers whose infants were admitted to Nigerian tertiary care facilities. METHODS This was a national cross-sectional study involving mothers of hospitalised babies from eleven Nigerian tertiary hospitals. We used the WHO self-reporting Questionnaire 20 and an adapted WHO/UNICEF ten-step breastfeeding support package to assess mothers' mental health and breastfeeding support. RESULTS Only 895 of the 1,120 mothers recruited from eleven tertiary healthcare nurseries in six geopolitical zones of Nigeria had complete datasets for analysis. The participants' mean age was 29.9 ± 6.2 years. One in four had CMDs; 24.0% (95% CI: 21.235, 26.937%). The ages of mothers, parity, gestational age at delivery, and length of hospital stay were comparable between mothers with and those without CMDs. Antenatal care at primary healthcare facilities (adjusted odds ratio [aOR:13], primary education [aOR:3.255] living in the south-southern region of the country [aOR 2.207], poor breastfeeding support [aOR:1.467], polygamous family settings [aOR:2.182], and a previous history of mental health disorders [aOR:4.684] were significantly associated with CMDs. In contrast, those from the middle and lower socioeconomic classes were less likely to develop CMDs, with [aOR:0.532] and [aOR:0.493], respectively. CONCLUSION In Nigeria, the prevalence of CMDs is relatively high among breastfeeding mothers with infants admitted to a tertiary care facility. Prior history of mental illness, polygamous households, mothers living in the southern region and low or no educational attainment have a greater risk of developing CMDs. This study provides evidence for assessing and tailoring interventions to CMDs among breastfeeding mothers in neonatal nurseries in LMIC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Abel Alao
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine University of Ibadan & University College Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
- * E-mail:
| | - Olayinka Rasheed Ibrahim
- Department of Paediatrics, Federal Medical Centre, Kastina, Kastina State, Nigeria
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
| | - Kenechukwu Kosisochukwu Iloh
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Nigeria &University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku/Ozalla, Enugu, Nigeria
| | - Adaeze C. Ayuk
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Nigeria &University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku/Ozalla, Enugu, Nigeria
| | - Udochukwu Michael Diala
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Health Sciences, University of Jos, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria
| | - Datonye Christopher Briggs
- Rivers State University, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences / Department of Paediatrics, Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria
| | | | | | - Sikirat Adetoun Sotimehin
- Paediatrics Department, Asokoro District Hospital / Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Nile University of Nigeria, Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Aishatu Zaidu Musa
- Department of Paediatrics Abubakar Tafewa Balewa University, Bauchi, Bauchi State, Nigeria
| | | | - Adedeji Abiodun Idris
- Department of Paediatrics Abubakar Tafewa Balewa University, Bauchi, Bauchi State, Nigeria
| | - Chioma Laura Odimegwu
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Nigeria &University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku/Ozalla, Enugu, Nigeria
| | | | | | - Ayomide Toluwanimi Adeyemi
- Department of Paediatrics, College of Medicine/University College Hospital Ibadan Centre for African Newborn Health and Nutrition, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
| | - Kenechi Ogbodo Nnamani
- Department of Paediatrics, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria
| | - Olukemi Oluwatoyin Tongo
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine University of Ibadan & University College Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
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