0666 Sleep Quality and Depression Among High-Risk Perinatal Women: Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Abstract Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted sleep and mood on a global scale. To date, a handful of studies have reported on sleep and mood in perinatal women during the pandemic. They suggest that many pregnant women have poor sleep quality and depression. However, since these studies are cross-sectional with no comparison group, it is difficult to determine whether they are suffering more now. Methods The current study compared sleep quality and the presence of likely clinical depression in perinatal women from two studies (one prior to the pandemic (~1998)) and one during the pandemic (Aug 2020 – April 2021). All women had a history of MDD/PPD. Sleep quality and depression were ascertained at ~36 weeks and 4 weeks postpartum for both groups. Sleep quality was characterized by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Depression was ascertained by the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HRDS) for the non-pandemic group and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) for the pandemic group. PSQI scores were analyzed continuously and categorically, while the depression scales were categorized according to published cutoffs. Results The Mage = 31.1 (4.2) and did not differ between groups; 84% were White. Sleep quality in late pregnancy did not differ between groups (7.62 (3.5) vs 7.16 (3.8), (ns), pre-pandemic vs pandemic), but they did differ at 1 month PP (7.10 (3.1) vs 8.7 (2.6), P < .001). The number of women who met criteria for depression in late pregnancy differed (28(41.1%) vs 7 (7.5%) X2 = 26.1, P < .001), but not at 1 month PP (9 (13.2%) vs 18(19.3%), X2 = 1.05, P = .31). Sleep quality in late pregnancy was correlated with whether a woman met criteria for depression during pregnancy (r = .22, P = .005), but not at 1-month postpartum (ns). Conclusion Our findings suggest that the pandemic negatively impacted sleep quality in the first month postpartum, but not the rate of depression. We interpret these findings with caution due to varying methodologies. The pre-pandemic group was a RCT of 4 drug treatment groups in postpartum, and the pandemic group women used the SNOO®, a robotic, responsive bassinet. Support (If Any) Happiest Baby, Inc