The Association between Delivery during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Immediate Postpartum Maternal Cognitive Function

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Public Health
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Previous epidemics like SARS have been linked to adverse mental health outcomes.
• The COVID-19 pandemic presents a unique global stressor with potential impacts on maternal mental well-being.
• Cognitive function is crucial for postpartum adjustment and infant care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess and compare cognitive function in women who delivered during the COVID-19 pandemic versus those who delivered before the pandemic.
• To investigate the association between COVID-19 pandemic exposure and maternal cognitive function in the immediate postpartum period.

Main Methods:

• A cohort study comparing women delivering during the COVID-19 pandemic (May 2020) with a historical control group (2016-2017).
• Cognitive function was evaluated using the objective Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) and the subjective Attention Function Index (AFI).
• Multivariable regression models were used to control for confounders such as maternal age and ethnicity.

Main Results:

• Women delivering during the COVID-19 pandemic reported significantly lower scores on the subjective Attention Function Index (AFI) compared to the pre-pandemic group (p=0.018).
• No significant differences were observed in objective neurocognitive test scores (SDMT90, SDMT4) between the two groups.
• These findings persisted after controlling for potential confounding factors in multivariable analyses.

Conclusions:

• The COVID-19 pandemic is independently associated with a significant decrease in subjective maternal cognitive function during the immediate postpartum period.
• While objective cognitive performance may not be affected, women's self-perceived cognitive abilities, particularly attention, are diminished by pandemic-related stress.
• Further research is warranted to explore the long-term implications and underlying mechanisms of pandemic-related cognitive changes in postpartum women.