Abstract
BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions can adversely impact antenatal maternal well-being and health behaviours. AimTo examine antenatal stress and stress-reduction strategies, social support, and health behaviours between women pregnant before and during the pandemic in Ireland. Methods210 pregnant women were recruited online and in the antenatal department of a tertiary maternity hospital before the pandemic, and 235 women recruited online during the pandemic. Only women resident in Ireland were included in this study. Women completed measures of stress, social support, health-behaviours, and self-reported stress-reduction strategies. Differences in outcomes were examined between women pregnant before and during the pandemic, and between Phase 2 and Phase 3 of the Irish Government COVID-19 restrictions. FindingsWomen pregnant during the pandemic reported lower perceived social support, including support from a significant other, friends and family, than women pregnant before the pandemic. There were no significant differences in stress in health behaviours but women reported higher stress and less physical activity during the pandemic. Women reported a range of comparable stress-reduction strategies before and during the pandemic. No differences were observed between phases of pandemic-related restrictions for any outcome. DiscussionOur findings highlight negative impacts of the pandemic on social support, stress, and physical activity, which can have implications for maternal and child health. Lack of differences between restriction phases suggests on-going negative effects for antenatal well-being and behaviours. ConclusionDevelopment of supports for pregnant women during the pandemic should include social-support and stress-reduction components.
Highlights
Antenatal stress is estimated to impact up to 30% of women during pregnancy[1] and is associated with poor postpartum mental and physical health[2,3], obstetric outcomes[4,5], and child health and neurodevelopment[6,7]
A total of 210 women living in Republic of Ireland (ROI) completed the survey before the pandemic; 235 women living in ROI completed the survey during the pandemic
Differences between women pregnant before and during the pandemic Results of independent-samples t-tests demonstrated no difference for levels of antenatal stress (t (425) = -2.19, p = .028) though women pregnant during the pandemic had higher levels than those pregnant before the pandemic (mean difference= -1.19, eta squared = .01)
Summary
Antenatal stress is estimated to impact up to 30% of women during pregnancy[1] and is associated with poor postpartum mental and physical health[2,3], obstetric outcomes[4,5], and child health and neurodevelopment[6,7]. Antenatal stress is associated with maternal perinatal health behaviours, which can have direct impact of child health and developments[8]. Positive factors, such as social support, are argued to have a protective effect by buffering effects of stress on maternal and child outcomes[9,10]. Antenatal stress can arise from multiple psychological, physiological, social and socio-demographic factors[11,12]. It can result from experiencing significant and/or stressful life events, such as bereavement[13], and natural disasters[14], and is a likely outcome of the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions can adversely impact antenatal maternal well-being and health behaviours
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