The Effect of COVID-19 Lockdowns on Women's Perinatal Mental Health: a Systematic Review

Overview

Journal Women Birth

Publisher Elsevier

Specialties Gynecology & Obstetrics
Nursing

Date 2022 Jul 7

PMID 35798661

Authors

Stephanie Wall

Maria Dempsey

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Risk factors for poor maternal perinatal mental health include a previous mental health diagnosis, reduced access to perinatal services, economic concerns and decreased levels of social support. Adverse maternal perinatal mental health can negatively influence the psychological wellbeing of infants. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic presented an additional stressor. While literature on the impact of COVID-19 on perinatal mental health exists, no systematic review has focused specifically on maternal perinatal mental health during periods of COVID-19 lockdown.

Aims: This systematic review explores how periods of COVID-19 lockdown impacted women's perinatal mental health.

Methods: Searches of CINAHL, PsycARTICLES, PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science were conducted for literature from 1st January 2020-25th May 2021. Quantitative, peer-reviewed, cross-sectional studies published in English with perinatal women as participants, and data collected during a period of lockdown, were included. Data was assessed for quality and narratively synthesized.

Findings: Sixteen articles from nine countries met the inclusion criteria. COVID-19 lockdowns negatively impacted perinatal mental health. Risk factors for negative perinatal mental health noted in previous literature were confirmed. In addition, resilience, educational attainment, trimester, and ethnicity were identified as other variables which may influence mental health during perinatal periods experienced during lockdown. Understanding nuance in experience and harnessing intra and interpersonal support could advance options for intervention.

Conclusion: Developing resources for perinatal women that integrate informal sources of support may aid them when normal routine is challenged, and may mediate potential long-term impacts of poor perinatal maternal health on infants.

Citing Articles

Prepartum working conditions predict mental health symptoms 14 months postpartum in first-time mothers and their partners - results of the prospective cohort study "DREAM".

Rihm L, Waibel J, Karl M, Mack J, Weise V, Garthus-Niegel S BMC Public Health. 2025; 25(1):875.

PMID: 40045254 PMC: 11884048. DOI: 10.1186/s12889-025-21886-2.

The Impact of Covid-19 on Women's Mental Health and Wellbeing During Pregnancy and the Perinatal Period: A Mixed-Methods Systematic Review.

Pankaew K, Carpenter D, Kerdprasong N, Nawamawat J, Krutchan N, Brown S Inquiry. 2024; 61:469580241301521.

PMID: 39584572 PMC: 11587184. DOI: 10.1177/00469580241301521.

Perinatal Loneliness and Isolation Early in the COVID-19 Pandemic in New York City: A Qualitative Study.

West B, Ehteshami L, McCormack C, Beebe B, Atwood G, Austin J J Midwifery Womens Health. 2024; 70(1):124-130.

PMID: 39520355 PMC: 11805614. DOI: 10.1111/jmwh.13695.

The prospective impact of extradyadic stress on depressive symptoms and the mediating role of intradyadic stress in parents-an actor-partner interdependence mediation model.

Bohlmann P, Mack J, Weise V, Seefeld L, Bodenmann G, Zietlow A PLoS One. 2024; 19(11):e0311989.

PMID: 39499708 PMC: 11537395. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0311989.

Early-Pregnancy Resilience Characteristics before versus during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Ayala N, Fain A, Cersonsky T, Werner E, Miller E, Clark M Am J Perinatol. 2024; 41(14):2025-2028.

PMID: 38290556 PMC: 11331020. DOI: 10.1055/a-2257-3992.

References

Huschke S, Murphy-Tighe S, Barry M . Perinatal mental health in Ireland: A scoping review. Midwifery. 2020; 89:102763. DOI: 10.1016/j.midw.2020.102763. View

Dib S, Rougeaux E, Vazquez-Vazquez A, Wells J, Fewtrell M . Maternal mental health and coping during the COVID-19 lockdown in the UK: Data from the COVID-19 New Mum Study. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2020; 151(3):407-414. PMC: 9087547. DOI: 10.1002/ijgo.13397. View

Kotlar B, Gerson E, Petrillo S, Langer A, Tiemeier H . The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal and perinatal health: a scoping review. Reprod Health. 2021; 18(1):10. PMC: 7812564. DOI: 10.1186/s12978-021-01070-6. View

Lubian Lopez D, Butron Hinojo C, Arjona Bernal J, Fasero Laiz M, Alcolea Santiago J, Guerra Vilches V . Resilience and psychological distress in pregnant women during quarantine due to the COVID-19 outbreak in Spain: a multicentre cross-sectional online survey. J Psychosom Obstet Gynaecol. 2021; 42(2):115-122. DOI: 10.1080/0167482X.2021.1896491. View

Harrison V, Moulds M, Jones K . Support from friends moderates the relationship between repetitive negative thinking and postnatal wellbeing during COVID-19. J Reprod Infant Psychol. 2021; 40(5):516-531. DOI: 10.1080/02646838.2021.1886260. View

Ungar M, Theron L . Resilience and mental health: how multisystemic processes contribute to positive outcomes. Lancet Psychiatry. 2019; 7(5):441-448. DOI: 10.1016/S2215-0366(19)30434-1. View

Jonsdottir S, Thome M, Steingrimsdottir T, Lydsdottir L, Sigurdsson J, Olafsdottir H . Partner relationship, social support and perinatal distress among pregnant Icelandic women. Women Birth. 2016; 30(1):e46-e55. DOI: 10.1016/j.wombi.2016.08.005. View

Fihrer I, McMahon C, Taylor A . The impact of postnatal and concurrent maternal depression on child behaviour during the early school years. J Affect Disord. 2009; 119(1-3):116-23. DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2009.03.001. View

Coates R, Ayers S, de Visser R . Women's experiences of postnatal distress: a qualitative study. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2014; 14:359. PMC: 4288655. DOI: 10.1186/1471-2393-14-359. View

10.

Harrison V, Moulds M, Jones K . Perceived social support and prenatal wellbeing; The mediating effects of loneliness and repetitive negative thinking on anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic. Women Birth. 2021; 35(3):232-241. PMC: 9051127. DOI: 10.1016/j.wombi.2020.12.014. View

11.

Ionio C, Gallese M, Fenaroli V, Smorti M, Greco A, Testa I . COVID-19: what about pregnant women during first lockdown in Italy?. J Reprod Infant Psychol. 2021; 40(6):577-589. DOI: 10.1080/02646838.2021.1928614. View

12.

Coronini-Cronberg S, Maile E, Majeed A . Health inequalities: the hidden cost of COVID-19 in NHS hospital trusts?. J R Soc Med. 2020; 113(5):179-184. PMC: 7366335. DOI: 10.1177/0141076820925230. View

13.

Atkinson L, Paglia A, Coolbear J, Niccols A, Parker K, Guger S . Attachment security: a meta-analysis of maternal mental health correlates. Clin Psychol Rev. 2000; 20(8):1019-40. DOI: 10.1016/s0272-7358(99)00023-9. View

14.

Dunkel Schetter C . Psychological science on pregnancy: stress processes, biopsychosocial models, and emerging research issues. Annu Rev Psychol. 2010; 62:531-58. DOI: 10.1146/annurev.psych.031809.130727. View

15.

de Arriba-Garcia M, Diaz-Martinez A, Monfort-Ortiz R, Roca-Prats A, Monfort-Beltran S, Ivanez-Munoz M . GESTACOVID project: psychological and perinatal effects in Spanish pregnant women subjected to confinement due to the COVID-19 pandemic. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2021; 35(25):5665-5671. DOI: 10.1080/14767058.2021.1888922. View

16.

Letourneau N, Tramonte L, Willms J . Maternal depression, family functioning and children's longitudinal development. J Pediatr Nurs. 2012; 28(3):223-34. DOI: 10.1016/j.pedn.2012.07.014. View

17.

Hernandez-Martinez C, Arija V, Balaguer A, Cavalle P, Canals J . Do the emotional states of pregnant women affect neonatal behaviour?. Early Hum Dev. 2008; 84(11):745-50. DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2008.05.002. View

18.

Velders F, Dieleman G, Henrichs J, Jaddoe V, Hofman A, Verhulst F . Prenatal and postnatal psychological symptoms of parents and family functioning: the impact on child emotional and behavioural problems. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2011; 20(7):341-50. PMC: 3135831. DOI: 10.1007/s00787-011-0178-0. View

19.

Martins C, Gaffan E . Effects of early maternal depression on patterns of infant-mother attachment: a meta-analytic investigation. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2000; 41(6):737-46. View

20.

Page M, McKenzie J, Bossuyt P, Boutron I, Hoffmann T, Mulrow C . The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ. 2021; 372:n71. PMC: 8005924. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.n71. View