Abstract
Aims. Maternal mental distress in pregnancy can be damaging to the mother and child’s physical and mental health. This study aimed to provide insight into mental wellbeing of pregnant women in Denmark during COVID-19, by assessing symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Methods. Data from two cohorts of pregnant women recruited from Danish general practice were compared. A COVID-19 lockdown cohort (n=330) completed questionnaires between April 8th and May 6th. Responses were compared to those from a control cohort of women from 2016 (n=1428). Mental wellbeing was measured with the Major Depression Inventory (MDI) and the Anxiety Symptom Scale (ASS).
Results. Questionnaires were returned by 83% of the COVID-19 lockdown cohort and by 93% of the control cohort. A multivariable analysis controlling for age, cohabitation status, occupation, smoking, alcohol use, chronic disease, fertility treatment, parity and children living at home showed no difference in depressive symptoms (MDI). Anxiety symptoms (ASS) were slightly worse in the COVID-19 lockdown cohort (mean difference 1.4 points), mainly driven by questions concerning general anxiety. The largest differences in anxiety were seen in first trimester (adjusted mean difference: 4.0 points).
Conclusion. Pregnant women questioned during COVID-19 showed no change in symptoms of depression and only a modest elevation of anxiety when compared to pregnant women questioned during a nonpandemic period in 2016.
Methods. Data from two cohorts of pregnant women recruited from Danish general practice were compared. A COVID-19 lockdown cohort (n=330) completed questionnaires between April 8th and May 6th. Responses were compared to those from a control cohort of women from 2016 (n=1428). Mental wellbeing was measured with the Major Depression Inventory (MDI) and the Anxiety Symptom Scale (ASS).
Results. Questionnaires were returned by 83% of the COVID-19 lockdown cohort and by 93% of the control cohort. A multivariable analysis controlling for age, cohabitation status, occupation, smoking, alcohol use, chronic disease, fertility treatment, parity and children living at home showed no difference in depressive symptoms (MDI). Anxiety symptoms (ASS) were slightly worse in the COVID-19 lockdown cohort (mean difference 1.4 points), mainly driven by questions concerning general anxiety. The largest differences in anxiety were seen in first trimester (adjusted mean difference: 4.0 points).
Conclusion. Pregnant women questioned during COVID-19 showed no change in symptoms of depression and only a modest elevation of anxiety when compared to pregnant women questioned during a nonpandemic period in 2016.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 721–729 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Scandinavian Journal of Public Health |
| Volume | 49 |
| Issue number | 7 |
| Early online date | 20 May 2021 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Nov 2021 |
Bibliographical note
AcknowledgementsThe authors would like to thank the funders for the financial support. Professor Kaj Sparle Christensen advised regarding interpretation of anxiety symptom scale.
Funding
This work was supported by TRYGfonden [grant number 125227] and the quality and continuing education committee for general practice in the Capital Region [grant number 19035774].
Keywords
- Anxiety
- COVID 19
- Pandemic
- depression
- Mental Health
- Pregnancy
- Prenatal Care
Access to Document
- Overbeck_et_al_SJPH_DepressionAndAnxietySymptoms_AAM
Overbeck G, Rasmussen IS, Siersma V, et al. Depression and anxiety symptoms in pregnant women in Denmark during COVID-19. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health. (Journal Volume Number and Issue Number) May 2021. pp. 1-9 © Author(s) 2021Article reuse guidelines: sagepub.com/journals-permissionsdoi:10.1177/14034948211013271