Abstract
The extraordinary health emergency of the COVID-19 pandemic represents a new challenge for mental health researchers and clinical practitioners. The related containment measures may be a risk factor for psychological distress and mood disorders, especially in at-risk populations. This study aims to explore the impact of COVID-19 on postpartum depressive symptoms in mothers with children below 1 year of age. An online questionnaire survey was therefore conducted in Italy between May and June 2020. The survey consisted of several self-administered questionnaires: besides some ad-hoc questionnaires, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), the Scale of Perceived Social Support (SPSS) and the Maternity Social Support Scale (MSSS) were used. Two hundred forty-three Italian women were included in the study. The prevalence of postpartum depression symptomatology among mothers was 44%, as measured through the EPDS (cut-off >12). Women who spent the isolation in northern Italy adopted maladaptive coping strategies significantly more than women living in areas at lower risk. The analysis highlighted a significant difference between the group that was not directly affected by the virus and women who have had a direct or indirect contact with it. Besides situational factors specific to the pandemic, the results show that there are some risk factors tied to the personal history of the mother (e.g., having had a previous abortion). These data should inform and enlighten future protocols of intervention.
Highlights
Since its outbreak in the beginning of 2020, the COVID-19 epidemic has significantly impacted many countries, with Italy being one of the European nations most affected by it in terms of death-toll and diffusion
This study investigated the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the psychological well-being of mothers of children aged from 0 to 1 year old
Women who reported to be scared of having their own child infected, reported higher levels of depressive symptomatology compared to women who didn’t state to have such fears
Summary
Since its outbreak in the beginning of 2020, the COVID-19 epidemic has significantly impacted many countries, with Italy being one of the European nations most affected by it in terms of death-toll and diffusion. The restrictive measures set up to stop the virus have caused the shutdown of all non-essential businesses and services, including schools, daycares, universities, and almost any kind of workplace, forcing Italians to remain confined in their homes for 3 months This has caused serious social isolation and the disruption of daily habits, but often a job loss or a reduction in financial income. COVID-19 and Post-partum Depressive Symptomatology shown to have increased stress, fear, and anxiety among Italians, significantly affecting their psychological well-being, especially in the case of more vulnerable and/or at risks populations [1, 2] On this subject, a recently published review by Brooks et al [3] explored the psychological impact of quarantine. Many researches have pointed out an increase in depressive symptomatology during COVID-19 in the general population, and Davenport et al [11] have identified an increase in the likelihood of maternal depression, highlighting how mothers could be at a high-risk of developing psychological distress
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