Elevated Perinatal Depression during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A National Study among Jewish and Arab Women in Israel.

Samira Alfayumi-Zeadna,Rena Bina,Drorit Levy,Atif Zeadna,Rachel Merzbach

doi:10.3390/jcm11020349

Samira Alfayumi-Zeadna, Rena Bina + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm11020349

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Abstract

This study assessed prevalence of perinatal depression symptoms (PNDS) during the COVID-19 pandemic among Arab and Jewish women in Israel and identified COVID-19-related risk factors for PNDS, while comparing Arab and Jewish women. Sample included 730 perinatal women (604 Jewish and 126 Arab) aged 19–45 years, who filled out an online self-report questionnaire. The questionnaire assessed several areas: perinatal experiences and exposure to COVID-19, social support, and financial and emotional impact. PNDS was measured by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Prevalence of PNDS (EPDS ≥ 10) in the entire study population was 40.0%. Prevalence among Arab women was significantly higher compared to Jewish women (58% vs. 36%, PV < 0.001). Higher PNDS were significantly associated with anxiety symptoms (GAD ≥ 10) (PV < 0.001), stress related to COVID-19 (PV < 0.001), adverse change in delivery of healthcare services (PV = 0.025), and unemployment (PV = 0.002). PNDS has elevated more than twofold during COVID-19 in Israel. Such high rates of PNDS may potentially negatively impact women, and fetal and child health development. This situation requires special attention from public health services and policy makers to provide support and mitigation strategies for pregnant and postpartum women in times of health crises.

Highlights

The COVID-19 pandemic has had many adverse impacts on the health and wellbeing of populations worldwide
To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study conducted on a nationwide sample of Israeli Jewish and Arab women assessing the prevalence of perinatal depression symptoms (PNDS) and COVID-19-related PNDS risk factors
The study highlights the phenomenon of elevated perinatal depression (PND) symptoms in pregnant and postpartum women, one of the most vulnerable groups in the population, during the pandemic

Summary

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic has had many adverse impacts on the health and wellbeing of populations worldwide. The perinatal period is a time of heightened risk for women to develop emotional distress, e.g., depression. Given that anxiety is a major risk factor for depression [1,2], several studies have shown that a high incidence of mental illness occurs during the perinatal period [3,4,5], putting perinatal women at even higher risk for onset or worsening of their mental health [6]. Untreated PND adversely impacts women’s health, infant outcomes, mother–infant bonding, and subsequent offspring physical and emotional health and cognitive development, and PND had, even before the pandemic, already emerged as a major public health concern [2,9,10,11]

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