A new study from the University of Essex, the COVID-19 epidemic caused an increase in depression and anxiety among pregnant mothers.

The findings were reported in the journal ‘BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth.’ The study discovered that social support protected against anxiety symptoms related to the pandemic, but it also underlined how modifications to maternity care caused by lockdown and other limitations are likely to have an impact on mental health.

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The research argued that the elimination of appointments and other changes to face-to-face communication may have had an impact on well-being.

Dr Silvia Rigato, the senior author, stated that it was critical to “maintain mother welfare during pregnancy and beyond” and “guarantee that all children and their new families are given the greatest possible start in life.”

The study discovered a 30% increase in reported depression rates from pre-pandemic levels, from 17% to 47%, as well as a 37% increase in anxiety rates among expecting women, from 37% to 60%.

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The peer-reviewed study of 150 women was conducted between April 2020 and January 2021, during the height of the Coronavirus epidemic, before the vaccine programme was implemented, and was directed by Dr Maria Laura Filippetti and Dr Rigato, researchers at the University of Essex’s Essex Babylab.

The study found that prenatal stress, such as the COVID-19 epidemic, might greatly increase sensitivity to mental health disorders.

The study also found that pregnant women with higher depression symptoms reported feeling less bonded to their unborn offspring.

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“While this result is consistent with previous observations that women’s mood during pregnancy influences the early relationship with her child,” Dr Rigato said, “it reinforces the need for authorities to support women throughout their pregnancy and the postnatal period to protect their health and the development of their infants.”

Importantly, the study discovered that social support had a favourable influence on the mental health of expectant moms.

The scientists discovered that women who thought COVID-19 had a greater negative influence had higher levels of anxiety.