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Assessment of antenatal anxiety, depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder in pregnant women in the COVID-19 era

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 August 2021

Catherine Hinds ,
Stephen W. Lindow ,
Mona Abdelrahman ,
Mark P. Hehir  and
Michael P. O’Connell
Catherine Hinds*
Affiliation:
Consultant Perinatal Psychiatrist, Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital, Cork Street, Dublin, Ireland
Stephen W. Lindow
Affiliation:
Director of Masters Projects, Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital, Cork Street, Dublin, Ireland
Mona Abdelrahman
Affiliation:
Specialist Registrar in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The Meath Foundation University, Tallaght, Dublin, Ireland
Mark P. Hehir
Affiliation:
Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital, Cork Street, Dublin, Ireland
Michael P. O’Connell
Affiliation:
Master, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital, Cork Street, Dublin, Ireland
*
*Address for correspondence: Dr Catherine Hinds, Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Service, Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital, Cork Street, Dublin, D08 XW7X, Ireland. (Email: [email protected])
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Abstract

Objective:

To assess the mental health of pregnant women, with reference to anxiety, depression and obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods:

A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Ireland during the third wave of the pandemic between February and March 2021. Psychiatric, social and obstetric information was collected from pregnant women in a Dublin maternity hospital, alongside self-reported measures of mental health status.

Results:

Of 392 women responding, 23.7% had anxiety, scoring >9 for GAD-7 (7-item generalised anxiety disorder), 20.4% had depression, scoring >9 for PHQ-9 (9-item depression screening tool: Patient health questionnaire) and 10.3% had obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), scoring >13 for Yale–Brown obsessive-compulsive scale symptom checklist (Y-BOCS). Amongst self-reported OCD symptoms, there was a preponderance for obsessions rather than compulsions. Of 392 women, 36.2% described their mental health as worse during the pandemic, most frequently describing symptoms of anxiety and sleep disturbance. When analysed against test scores, self-reported worsening of mental health was significantly associated with higher scores on the GAD-7, PHQ-9 and Y-BOCS scales. The three scores were positively interrelated. Poor mental health scores were associated with self-reported strain in relationship with the baby’s father, and current or previous history of mental illness.

Conclusion:

This study found high levels of depression, anxiety and OC symptoms amongst pregnant women during COVID-19. This highlights the vulnerability of this group to mental illness and the importance of enhanced screening and support during pandemics.

Keywords

AnxietyCOVID-19depressionmental healthobsessive-compulsive disorderpregnancy
Type
Original Research
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 40 , Issue 4: Themed issue on Perinatal Mental Health , December 2023 , pp. 547 - 553
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The College of Psychiatrists of Ireland

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