ArticleBJPsych open2023
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on perinatal services and maternal mental health in the UK.
Article in BJPsych open, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Women's experiences of maternity care in high-income countries during the pandemic health system shock: a follow-up systematic review and qualitative evidence synthesis.Frontiers in public health · 2026Pooled it
- Maternal deaths in the UK before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica · 2026Article
- The link between nutrient intake and anthropometric indices with COVID-19 infection in pregnant women.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2026Article
- Article
- Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in Children Born to Mothers Infected with SARS-CoV-2 During Pregnancy: A Narrative Review.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Review
- Exploring nurse and patient perspectives on WeChat-based prenatal education in Chinese public hospitals: a qualitative inquiry.BMC nursing · 2025Article
- The mental health impact of repeated COVID-19 enforced lockdowns in England: evidence from the UK Household Longitudinal Study.BJPsych open · 2025Article
- COVID-19 Stressors and Maternal Mental Health in Georgia, United States: Sources, Effects, and Recommendations.International journal of MCH and AIDS · 2025Article
- Healthcare providers' experiences of maternity care service delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom: a follow-up systematic review and qualitative evidence synthesis.Frontiers in global women's health · 2024Review
- Editorial: Maternal substance and alcohol use and contextual issues.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2024Article
- Feasibility, clinical efficacy, and well-being outcomes of an online singing intervention for postnatal depression in the UK: SHAPER-PNDO, a single-arm clinical trial.Pilot and feasibility studies · 2023Article
- Preventing, Mitigating, and Treating Women's Perinatal Mental Health Problems during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Scoping Review of Reviews with a Qualitative Narrative Synthesis.Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Equitable reach: Patient and professional recommendations for interventions to prevent perinatal depression and anxiety.General hospital psychiatryArticle
- Non-Indigenous women's experiences of obstetric and gynaecological inequity in rural and remote South Australia: A feminist post-structuralist analysis.Women's health (London, England)Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundCOVID-19 has created many challenges for women in the perinatal phase. This stems from prolonged periods of lockdowns, restricted support networks and media panic, alongside altered healthcare provision.
aimsWe aimed to review the evidence regarding the psychological impact on new and expecting mothers following changes to antenatal and postnatal service provision within the UK throughout the pandemic.
methodWe conducted a narrative literature search of major databases (PubMed, Medline, Google Scholar). The literature was critically reviewed by experts within the field of antenatal and perinatal mental health.
resultsChanges to service provision, including the introduction of telemedicine services, attendance of antenatal appointments without partners or loved ones, and lack of support during the intrapartum period, are associated with increased stress, depression and anxiety. Encouraging women and their partners to engage with aspects of positive psychology through newly introduced digital platforms and virtual service provision has the potential to improve access to holistic care and increase mental well-being. An online course, designed by Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust in response to changes to service provision, focuses on postnatal recovery inspiration and support for motherhood (PRISM) through a 5-week programme. So far, the course has received positive feedback.
conclusionsThe pandemic has contributed to increased rates of mental illness among pregnant and new mothers in the UK. Although the long-term implications are largely unpredictable, it is important to anticipate increased prevalence and complexity of symptoms, which could be hugely detrimental to an already overburdened National Health Service.
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