During the lockdown in the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain, pregnant women had higher symptoms of depression and anxiety. The finding comes from a study published in Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica, which also revealed that women with higher body mass index and lower social support were most affected.
A total of 204 women accepted to participate in the study, which involved completing questionnaires related to depression, anxiety, and social support.
The study's results "highlight the need to improve mental health care during pregnancy, especially in exceptional circumstances such as the global pandemic situation or lockdown, as these can cause added stress and increased anxiety and depression symptoms, resulting in undesirable consequences on pregnancy in the future newborn," the authors wrote.