Open AccessCOVID-19 and Maternal Mental Health and Wellbeing
Author(s) -
Rachel Buhagiar
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of emergency management and disaster communications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2689-9809
pISSN - 2689-9795
DOI - 10.1142/s2689980921500093
Subject(s) - mental health , pandemic , anxiety , psychiatry , population , medicine , depression (economics) , covid-19 , psychology , environmental health , disease , infectious disease (medical specialty) , pathology , economics , macroeconomics
The impact of the coronavirus infection (COVID-19) on the physical health of individuals has been receiving widespread attention, especially for high risk segments of the population, including pregnant women, new mothers and their babies. However, equally important are the psychological consequences of the pandemic. A growing body of evidence supports the notion that this global pandemic translates into a massive source of maternal stressful agents causing psychological burden for some, which may further lead to mental health issues. Indeed, perinatal mental health disorders, such as depression and anxiety, are increasingly recognized as concerning effects of the COVID-19 outbreak, with a higher prevalence rate compared to the pre-pandemic period being reported. Additionally, an increase in self-harming thoughts and deaths by suicide during lockdown have also been described amongst perinatal women. This paper provides an overview of evidence-based data on perinatal mental health outcomes during this global pandemic. The catastrophic circumstances related to these unprecedented times and how these are shaping the mental health of pregnant and postnatal women will be outlined, as well as the impact the latter might have on the caregiving quality and child developmental outcomes. Consequently, the importance of prioritizing perinatal mental health in the current and ongoing pandemic is highlighted.