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Differentiated mental health patterns in pregnancy during COVID-19 first two waves in Sweden: a mixed methods study
Emma Fransson1,2, Maria Karalexi1,3, Mary Kimmel1,4
1Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, 751 85, Uppsala, Sweden.
Scientific Reports
|December 8, 2022
Summary
Pregnant women experienced two peaks in depressive symptoms and increased anxiety during the first COVID-19 wave. Digital tools monitored mental health, revealing varying impacts of the pandemic over time.
Area of Science:
- Perinatal mental health
- Epidemiology
- Digital health
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted global health and well-being.
- Pregnant women represent a vulnerable population susceptible to mental health challenges during crises.
- Understanding pandemic-related mental health fluctuations is crucial for timely support.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess depressive and anxiety symptoms, and well-being in pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic in Sweden.
- To explore the relationship between mental health, life conditions, and pandemic waves.
- To evaluate the utility of digital phenotyping for monitoring high-risk groups.
Main Methods:
- Recruitment of 1577 pregnant women via the Mom2B mobile application.
- Assessment of depression, anxiety, and well-being symptoms (January 2020-February 2021).
- Collection of mobile phone movement data, Google search trends for "Corona", and COVID-19 mortality data.
- Qualitative analysis of free-text responses on maternity care.
Main Results:
- Two peaks in depressive symptoms correlated with pandemic waves; anxiety prevalence was higher during the first wave.
- The association between mental health and COVID-19 deaths varied across pandemic waves.
- Women reported concerns about cancelled appointments and restricted partner presence in hospitals.
Conclusions:
- Mental health outcomes in pregnant women are dynamic and influenced by pandemic phases.
- Adaptation strategies at personal and societal levels may modulate mental health responses.
- Digital phenotyping offers real-time monitoring capabilities for at-risk populations during crises.
