Ciolac, L.; Craina, M.L.; Enatescu, V.R.; Tudor, A.; Bernad, E.S.; Nitu, R.; Hogea, L.; Boscu, L.; Bernad, B.-C.; Timircan, M.O.; Ciolac, V.; Nediglea, C.-O.; Maghiari, A.L. The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Depressive Disorder with Postpartum Onset: A Cross-Sectional Study. Healthcare2023, 11, 2857.
Ciolac, L.; Craina, M.L.; Enatescu, V.R.; Tudor, A.; Bernad, E.S.; Nitu, R.; Hogea, L.; Boscu, L.; Bernad, B.-C.; Timircan, M.O.; Ciolac, V.; Nediglea, C.-O.; Maghiari, A.L. The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Depressive Disorder with Postpartum Onset: A Cross-Sectional Study. Healthcare 2023, 11, 2857.
Ciolac, L.; Craina, M.L.; Enatescu, V.R.; Tudor, A.; Bernad, E.S.; Nitu, R.; Hogea, L.; Boscu, L.; Bernad, B.-C.; Timircan, M.O.; Ciolac, V.; Nediglea, C.-O.; Maghiari, A.L. The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Depressive Disorder with Postpartum Onset: A Cross-Sectional Study. Healthcare2023, 11, 2857.
Ciolac, L.; Craina, M.L.; Enatescu, V.R.; Tudor, A.; Bernad, E.S.; Nitu, R.; Hogea, L.; Boscu, L.; Bernad, B.-C.; Timircan, M.O.; Ciolac, V.; Nediglea, C.-O.; Maghiari, A.L. The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Depressive Disorder with Postpartum Onset: A Cross-Sectional Study. Healthcare 2023, 11, 2857.
Abstract
Background: 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. The aim of the study was to assess the mental health status of women who gave birth during a pandemic and to examine the possible links between the onset of depressive disorder symptoms in close proximity to the time of delivery and the socio-demographic conditions, health status and obstetric circumstances of the patients. Materials and Methods: The study is a cross-sectional survey conducted from 01.03.2020 to 01.03.2023, during the period of 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 from 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 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 shows an alarming increase in the prevalence of postpartum depression. Risk factors associated with postpartum depression included type of delivery, level of education, socio-economic conditions, health status, age, background, 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 help and facilitate effective mental health screening for postpartum women, promoting maternal and child health.
Medicine and Pharmacology, Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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