COVID -19 Causes Depression in Pregnant Women

COVID-19 has resulted in higher depression scores among pregnant women whose exercise routines were impacted by the pandemic.

Emerging pandemic of COVID-19 has disrupted daily life, including many people's ability to exercise, which can boost mood, reduce stress and benefit one's physical and mental health. Higher depression scores were found in pregnant women whose exercise routines were impacted by the pandemic, as per a Dartmouth study, published in PLOS ONE.

This would in turn lead to prenatal depression. General physiological changes that pregnant women experience, itself pose them to a higher risk for depression than the others. The study explored the link between disruption of exercise and depression in women living in metropolitan versus non-metropolitan areas.

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‘With the disruption of daily life, including physical exercises, caused due to COVID-19 has resulted in higher depression scores among pregnant women whose exercise routines were impacted by the pandemic. This formulates the need for maternal healthcare providers and professionals to consider asking patients about their exercise routines and screen those with a higher risk for maternal depression.’

The sample relied upon the data collected from the COVID-19 and Reproductive Effects (CARE) Study for which more than 1,850 pregnant women from all 50 U.S. states and Puerto Rico with an average of 31 years old and 26 weeks pregnancy, were surveyed online from April to June 2020, on how COVID-19 had affected their prenatal and post-partum well-being and healthcare.

Participants were asked questions like the places where they lived, age, current gestational week, race/ethnicity, household income, education level and if their exercise routine had changed at all during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the number of days per week that they had engaged in moderate exercise for at least 30 minutes.

They were screened for depression symptoms using the gold standard Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Survey (EPDS) to assess whether exercise routine change is associated with a depression score independent of these other important factors.

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Depression among the pandemic

56 per cent reported that they engaged in moderate exercise at least three times a week. 47 per cent of the pregnant women in the study indicated that they were exercising less during the pandemic, while 9 per cent indicated that they were exercising more.

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"Our results demonstrate that the COVID-19 pandemic may exacerbate the elevated risk that pregnant women have for prenatal depression. Moderate exercise has been shown to decrease depression risk in pregnant women, so disruptions to exercise routines may lead to worse mental health outcomes", says lead author Theresa Gildner, a research associate and the Robert A. 1925 and Catherine L. McKennan postdoctoral fellow in anthropology at Dartmouth.

Higher depression scores were seen among the pregnant women who reported changes to their exercise routines especially those living in metropolitan areas. These results coincide with the COVID-19 related stay-at-home orders and the shuttering of businesses & fitness and recreational centres this past spring. Data from rural areas revealed fear of getting infected from COVID-19 as a reason for their disruption of daily walking and exercises.

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"With the COVID-19 pandemic disrupting exercise regimens, our study shows that pregnant women were not just missing going to CrossFit or yoga. It's not just that exercise gives you endorphins but participants indicated that they were also missing that social connection that you get from having other people around you. Prior research has shown the mental health benefits of connecting with others," says co-author Zaneta M. Thayer, an assistant professor of anthropology at Dartmouth.

The study thereby indicates the need for maternal healthcare providers and professionals to consider asking patients if their exercise routines have changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. This may help screen women with a higher risk for maternal depression.

Source-Medindia