ArticleJournal of affective disorders2020
Elevated depression and anxiety symptoms among pregnant individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Article in Journal of affective disorders, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 499 papers, 8 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic in Perinatal Mental Health
Active Pregnancy. Mental and Emotional Health Care to Pregnant Woman During and After COVID-19
Who cites it
499 citing papers in PubMed, 8 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 1,026 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effectiveness of Telehealth Care Interventions for Women's Mental Health During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Journal of medical Internet research · 2026Pooled it
- Maternal care for preterm infants in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative systematic review.Cadernos de saude publica · 2025Pooled it
- Women's mental health and COVID-19: increased vulnerability and inequalities.Frontiers in global women's health · 2024Pooled it
- The prevalence of mental ill-health in women during pregnancy and after childbirth during the Covid-19 pandemic: a systematic review and Meta-analysis.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2023Pooled it
- Parental Postnatal Depression in the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review of Its Effects on the Parent-Child Relationship and the Child's Developmental Outcomes.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Pooled it
- Association between depressive symptoms in the postpartum period and COVID-19: A meta-analysis.Journal of affective disorders · 2023Pooled it
- Fear and Anxiety in Pregnant Women During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review.International journal of public health · 2023Pooled it
- Prevalence of depression, anxiety in China during the COVID-19 pandemic: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in public health · 2023Pooled it
- Infant hippocampal and amygdala volume in an observational follow-up from a randomized clinical trial for maternal prenatal depression.Nature communications · 2026Trial
- To assess the impact of individualized strategy and continuous glucose monitoring on glycemic control and mental health in pregnant women with diabetes.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2025Trial
- The effects of online pilates on the mood and fear of birth of pregnant women: a randomized controlled study.Scientific reports · 2024Trial
- Efficacy of a single low dose of esketamine after childbirth for mothers with symptoms of prenatal depression: randomised clinical trial.BMJ (Clinical research ed.) · 2024Trial
- A Supported Online Resilience-Enhancing Intervention for Pregnant Women: A Non-Randomized Pilot Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2024Trial
- Protective Effect of Prenatal Social Support on the Intergenerational Transmission of Obesity in Low-Income Hispanic Families.Childhood obesity (Print) · 2023Trial
- Trial
- Article
- Pregnant women's experiences during a public health emergency: A cross-sectional analysis of the COVID-19 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System COVID-19 supplement.Public health in practice (Oxford, England) · 2026Article
- Longitudinal links between prenatal maternal depression and anxiety symptoms and infant temperament: The roles of postnatal symptoms and perceived partner support.Infant mental health journal · 2026Article
- Perinatal maternal distress and neurobehavioural development in toddlers.Developmental cognitive neuroscience · 2026Article
- Effect of Anxiety on Depression in Pregnant Women: The Mediating Role of Stress and Moderating Role of Social Support.Birth (Berkeley, Calif.) · 2026Article
439 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
- Erratum issued
Authors and funding
5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundAnxiety and depression symptoms in pregnancy typically affect between 10 and 25% of pregnant individuals. Elevated symptoms of depression and anxiety are associated with increased risk of preterm birth, postpartum depression, and behavioural difficulties in children. The current COVID-19 pandemic is a unique stressor with potentially wide-ranging consequences for pregnancy and beyond.
methodsWe assessed symptoms of anxiety and depression among pregnant individuals during the current COVID-19 pandemic and determined factors that were associated with psychological distress. 1987 pregnant participants in Canada were surveyed in April 2020. The assessment included questions about COVID-19-related stress and standardized measures of depression, anxiety, pregnancy-related anxiety, and social support.
resultsWe found substantially elevated anxiety and depression symptoms compared to similar pre-pandemic pregnancy cohorts, with 37% reporting clinically relevant symptoms of depression and 57% reporting clinically relevant symptoms of anxiety. Higher symptoms of depression and anxiety were associated with more concern about threats of COVID-19 to the life of the mother and baby, as well as concerns about not getting the necessary prenatal care, relationship strain, and social isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Higher levels of perceived social support and support effectiveness, as well as more physical activity, were associated with lower psychological symptoms.
conclusionThis study shows concerningly elevated symptoms of anxiety and depression among pregnant individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic, that may have long-term impacts on their children. Potential protective factors include increased social support and exercise, as these were associated with lower symptoms and thus may help mitigate long-term negative outcomes.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.