During the lockdown in the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain, pregnant women had higher symptoms of depression and anxiety. The finding comes from a study published in Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica, which also revealed that women with higher body mass index and lower social support were most affected.
A total of 204 women accepted to participate in the study, which involved completing questionnaires related to depression, anxiety, and social support.
The study’s results “highlight the need to improve mental health care during pregnancy, especially in exceptional circumstances such as the global pandemic situation or lockdown, as these can cause added stress and increased anxiety and depression symptoms, resulting in undesirable consequences on pregnancy in the future newborn,” the authors wrote.
Additional Information
Link to Study: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/aogs.14073
About Journal
Published monthly, Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica is an international journal dedicated to providing the very latest information on the results of both clinical, basic and translational research work related to all aspects of women’s health from around the globe. The journal regularly publishes commentaries, reviews, and original articles on a wide variety of topics including: gynecology, pregnancy, birth, female urology, gynecologic oncology, fertility and reproductive biology.
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