Psychosocial experiences of postnatal women during the COVID-19 pandemic. A UK-wide study of prevalence rates and risk factors for clinically relevant depression and anxiety
Open accessAbstract
Background When the vulnerabilities of the postnatal period are combined with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, psychosocial outcomes are likely to be affected. Specifically, we aim to: a) explore the psychosocial experiences of women in the early postnatal period; b) describe prevalence rates of clinically relevant maternal anxiety and depression; and c) explore whether psychosocial change occurring as a result of COVID-19 is predictive of clinically relevant maternal anxiety and depression.Methods A sample of UK mothers (N = 614) with infants aged between birth and twelve weeks were recruited via convenience sampling. A cross-sectional survey design was utilised which comprised demographics, COVID-19 specific questions, and a battery of validated psychosocial measures, including the EPDS and STAI-S which were used to collect prevalence rates of clinically relevant depression and anxiety respectively. Data collection coincided with the UK government's initial mandated "lockdown" restrictions and the introduction of social distancing measures in 2020.Findings Descriptive findings from the overall sample indicate that a high percentage of mothers self-reported psychological and social changes as a result of the introduction of social distancing measures. For women who reported the presence of psychosocial change, these changes were perceived negatively. Whilst seventy women (11.4%) reported a current clinical diagnosis of depression, two hundred and sixty-four women (43%) reported a score of ≥13 on the EPDS, indicating clinically relevant depression. Whilst one hundred and thirteen women (18.4%) reported a current clinical diagnosis of anxiety, three hundred and seventy-three women (61%) reported a score of ≥40 on STAI-S, indicating clinically relevant anxiety. After accounting for current clinical diagnoses of depression or anxiety, and demographic factors known to influence mental health, only perceived psychological change occurring as a result of the introduction of social distancing measures predicted unique variance in the risk of clinically relevant maternal depression (30%) and anxiety (33%).Interpretation To our knowledge, this is the first national study to examine the psychosocial experiences of postnatal women during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK. Prevalence rates of clinically relevant maternal depression and anxiety were extremely high when compared to both self-reported current diagnoses of depression and anxiety, and pre-pandemic prevalence studies. Perceived psychological changes occurring as a result of the introduction of social distancing measures predicted unique variance in the risk for clinically relevant maternal depression and anxiety. This study provides vital information for clinicians, funders, policy makers, and researchers to inform the immediate next steps in perinatal care, policy, and research during COVID-19 and future health crises.
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Reports show poor psycho-social outcomes for perinatal women receiving maternity care during the pandemic.
“For perinatal women receiving maternity care, we have already seen reports of devalued care [5], poor psycho-social outcomes [6, 24], and worrying projections suggesting rates of stillbirth are expected to double globally [25].”
From Preliminary findings on the experiences of care for parents who suffered perinatal bereavement during the COVID-19 pandemic (2021) · cites this paper as [24]
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- Authors
- Fallon, V., Davies, S. M., Silverio, S. A., Jackson, L., De Pascalis, L., & Harrold, J. A.
- Affiliations
- University of Liverpool (GB)
- St Thomas' Hospital (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Fallon, Victoria
- ORCID
- Venue
- Journal of Psychiatric Research
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2021-04
- Volume
- 136
- Pages
- 157-166
- ISSN
- 0022-3956 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC8635302
- OpenAlex
- W3126619017
- Cited by
- 158
- References
- 38
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 30 · 2023: 30 · 2022: 50 · 2021: 28
- FWCI
- 29.83
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Licence
- Locations
- Journal of Psychiatric Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Archivio istituzionale della ricerca (Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Funders
- National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR200306)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › COVID-19 and Mental Health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Obstetrics and Gynecology › COVID-19 Impact on Reproduction
- Keywords
- postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, maternal mental health, COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing, lockdown, psychosocial changes, risk factors, prevalence, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, early postnatal period, maternal mental health services, mental health policy, mental health professionals, mental health workforce training
- MeSH terms
- COVID-19, Adult, Anxiety, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, United Kingdom, Humans, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Pregnancy, Risk Factors, Prevalence, Depression, Postpartum, Pandemics
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