Psychological health of pregnant and postpartum women before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Yvonne J KuipersRoxanne BleijenberghLaura Van den BrandenYannic van GilsSophie RimauxCharlotte BrosensAstrid ClaerboutEveline MestdaghPublished in: PloS one (2022)
The COVID-19 pandemic seems to have a positive effect on postpartum women during the first year postpartum, in particular for women with (a history of) perinatal psychological problems and for those women who experienced emotional support. The findings suggest that less external stimuli caused by lockdown restrictions might have a positive effect on postpartum women's emotional wellbeing. The sample consisted of white, educated women in a relationship and information regarding the extent of exposure to adverse COVID-19 consequences was lacking. We relied on self-selection and self-report. The postpartum pandemic sample was small.