Birth Experience, Postpartum PTSD and Depression before and during the Pandemic of COVID-19 in Russia.

Vera Yakupova,Anna Suarez,Anna Kharchenko

doi:10.3390/ijerph19010335

Abstract

The aim of the study is to investigate the changes in the maternal healthcare system during the pandemic and their associations with maternal mental health in Russia. A sample of Russian women who gave birth during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic (n = 1645) and matched controls, i.e., women who gave birth before the COVID-19 pandemic (n = 611), completed an anonymous Internet survey about recent childbirth. They were assessed for childbirth-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and postpartum depression (PPD). Clinically relevant symptoms of PPD and PTSD were high before the pandemic and showed no significant change during the pandemic (p = 0.48 and p = 0.64, respectively). We found a notable increase in the frequency of obstetric violence (p = 0.015) during the pandemic, which, in turn, has a strong correlation with birth-related PTSD and PPD. The problem of ethical communication with patients among maternal healthcare professionals is acute in Russia, and it has been exacerbated by the pandemic. Family and doula support during labor can be a potential protective factor against obstetric violence.

Highlights

The pandemic has had a dramatic effect on the healthcare system around the globe, including maternal and childbirth practices
We explored the association between the postpartum depression (PPD) and postpartum posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and birth experience factors using generalized linear models
Our study results show that the pandemic had a negative impact on birth experience in Russia

Summary

Introduction

The pandemic has had a dramatic effect on the healthcare system around the globe, including maternal and childbirth practices. In 2020–2021 women have faced the threat of COVID-19 during pregnancy, labor, and after delivery. In January 2020, the Russian government introduced multiple anti-covid measures which varied across the regions [1]. These measures have significantly affected antenatal care and childbirth conditions. In. February 2020, the hospitals across the country have restricted the possibility for the support person to attend birth, including the family members [2]. It was recommended to separate the infant and the mother right after delivery in case of the mother’s positive

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