Abstract
As the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has spread globally, a significant portion of pregnant and delivering women were infected with COVID-19. While emerging studies examined birth outcomes in COVID-19 positive women, knowledge of the psychological experience of childbirth and maternal wellness remains lacking. This matched-control survey-based study included a sample of women recruited during the first wave of the pandemic in the US who gave birth in the previous six months. Women reporting confirmed/suspected COVID-19 (n = 68) during pregnancy or childbirth were matched on background factors with women reporting COVID-19 negativity (n = 2,276). We found nearly 50% of COVID positive women endorsed acute traumatic stress symptoms at a clinical level in response to childbirth. This group was more than twice as likely to endorse acute stress and to have no visitors during maternity hospitalization than COVID negative women; they were also less likely to room-in with newborns. The COVID positive group reported higher levels of pain in delivery, lower newborn weights, and more infant admission to neonatal intensive care units. Our findings suggest COVID-19 affected populations are at increased risk for traumatic childbirth and associated risk for psychiatric morbidity. Attention to delivering women’s wellbeing is warranted during the pandemic.
Highlights
As the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has spread globally, a significant portion of pregnant and delivering women were infected with COVID-19
Fewer COVID-19 positive women were with their newborn in the room during their stay at the hospital (OR = 0.37; all because of the mother’s COVID) or had skin-to-skin contact [OR = 0.40; 46.30% because of the mother’s COVID and 9.25% because the newborn’s COVID (n = 5 babies were COVID positive); the reason for no skin-to-skin contact for the rest (44.45%) was not reported] than COVID-19 negative women
The newborns of COVID-19 positive women were two times as likely to be admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)
Summary
As the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has spread globally, a significant portion of pregnant and delivering women were infected with COVID-19. While emerging studies examined birth outcomes in COVID-19 positive women, knowledge of the psychological experience of childbirth and maternal wellness remains lacking. This matched-control survey-based study included a sample of women recruited during the first wave of the pandemic in the US who gave birth in the previous six months. We found nearly 50% of COVID positive women endorsed acute traumatic stress symptoms at a clinical level in response to childbirth This group was more than twice as likely to endorse acute stress and to have no visitors during maternity hospitalization than COVID negative women; they were less likely to room-in with newborns. The inclusion of studies with small samples and inappropriate control groups in the reviews above may limit findings and interpretations
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