TY - JOUR
AU - Ayers, Susan
AU - Meades, Rose
AU - Sinesi, Andrea
AU - Cheyne, Helen
AU - Maxwell, Margaret
AU - Best, Catherine
AU - McNicol, Stacey
AU - Alderdice, Fiona
AU - Jomeen, Julie
AU - Shakespeare, Judy
AU - MAP Study Team
PY - 2025
DA - March
TI - COVID-19 and anxiety in pregnancy and postpartum: a longitudinal survey
JO - BMC Public Health
VL - 25
DO - https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-22257-7
AB - Background Anxiety is estimated to affect between 15 and 20 per cent of women during pregnancy and postpartum. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in wide-ranging changes to how people lived, worked and socialised around the world. COVID and pandemic-related restrictions to maternity services may have exacerbated anxiety during pregnancy and the postnatal period. This study aimed to determine: (1) levels of COVID exposure and perceived risk; (2) adherence to Government guidelines and restrictions; and (3) the impact of COVID and COVID-related restrictions on perinatal anxiety and mental health in the UK. Methods A longitudinal survey (n = 2122) of COVID and anxiety in women during early pregnancy, mid-pregnancy, late pregnancy and postpartum. Results 38.41% of participants had COVID before or during the study. Perinatal anxiety was predicted by participants having poor general health, being of Asian or mixed ethnicity, having previous mental health problems, believing that COVID would make them severely ill, and reporting that COVID had impacted on their mental health. Over time, more women were infected with COVID, and the perceived severity of COVID decreased. Experiencing mild COVID was associated with decreased anxiety at the subsequent time point (mean difference -0.72, 95% CI -1.38 to -0.07, p = 0.030). Very few participants in this sample had severe COVID (2.9%) or reported it having a severe impact on their mental health (5.66%). Most participants (75.3%) said the pandemic had ‘no’ or a ‘slight’ impact on their mental health. Pandemic-related restrictions to maternity care affected more women, with around 40% reporting anxiety about being separated from baby, their partner not being with them in labor, or having to leave shortly after the birth. Level of adherence to guidelines was variable, depending on the restriction. Conclusions Findings suggest pandemic-related restrictions caused anxiety for more women than COVID per se. Adherence to guidelines was variable yet the prevalence of COVID infections was low compared to the general population. Findings can be used to inform policy and practice for future pandemics and health-related crises.
PB - Springer Nature
UR - http://hdl.handle.net/1893/36990
KW - Coronavirus (COVID-19)
KW - Mental health and wellbeing
KW - Maternity and early years
ER