Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39773424›Full record

ArticleBMC pregnancy and childbirth2025

Everything feels just a little heavier, more wrought with implications, you know? - a mixed-methods study examining lifestyle behaviors, health, and well-being of pregnant and postpartum women during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sara Dube, Muhammad Asim, Jennifer Gonzalez, Gracia Dala, Michelle L Wright, Megan J Gray, Linda G Kahn, Deborah Jacobvitz, Elizabeth M Widen

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Sara DubeDepartment of Nutritional Sciences, School of Human Ecology, College of Natural Sciences, Department of Women's Health & Pediatrics, Dell Medical School, Dell Pediatric Research Institute, Population Research Center, The University of Texas at Austin, 1400 Barbara Jordan Blvd., Austin, TX, 78723, USA.
Muhammad AsimDepartment of Community Health Sciences (MA), Aga Kahn University, Karachi, Pakistan.
Jennifer GonzalezDepartment of Nutritional Sciences, School of Human Ecology, College of Natural Sciences, Department of Women's Health & Pediatrics, Dell Medical School, Dell Pediatric Research Institute, Population Research Center, The University of Texas at Austin, 1400 Barbara Jordan Blvd., Austin, TX, 78723, USA.
Gracia DalaDepartment of Nutritional Sciences, School of Human Ecology, College of Natural Sciences, Department of Women's Health & Pediatrics, Dell Medical School, Dell Pediatric Research Institute, Population Research Center, The University of Texas at Austin, 1400 Barbara Jordan Blvd., Austin, TX, 78723, USA.
Michelle L WrightNational Cancer Institute, Neuro-Oncology Branch (MLW), Bethesda, MD, USA.
Megan J GrayDepartment of Pediatrics & Dell Pediatric Research Institute, The University of Texas at Austin (EMW, MJG), Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
Linda G KahnDepartment of Pediatrics, New York University (LGK), New York, NY, USA.
Deborah JacobvitzHuman Development and Family Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin (DJ), Austin, TX, USA.
Elizabeth M WidenDepartment of Nutritional Sciences, School of Human Ecology, College of Natural Sciences, Department of Women's Health & Pediatrics, Dell Medical School, Dell Pediatric Research Institute, Population Research Center, The University of Texas at Austin, 1400 Barbara Jordan Blvd., Austin, TX, 78723, USA. elizabeth.widen@austin.utexas.edu.

Funding

Mothers and CareGivers Investing in Children: A virtual intervention to support healthy growth in infants and toddlersR01DK135947 · NIDDK · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN · PI Deborah B Jacobvitz, Elizabeth Marie Widen · 2024 to 2026
$1.9M
Automated Assessment of Maternal Sensitivity to Infant Distress: Leveraging Wearable Sensors for Substance Use Disorder Prevention and ResearchR01DA059423 · NIDA · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN · PI Kaya de Barbaro · 2023 to 2026
$1.8M
Pregnancy weight trajectories and offspring adiposityR00HD086304 · NICHD · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN · PI WIDEN, ELIZABETH MARIE · 2018 to 2020
$744k
Pregnancy weight trajectories and offspring adiposityK99HD086304 · NICHD · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN · PI WIDEN, ELIZABETH MARIE · 2016 to 2017
$258k
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development K99/R00 HD086304NICHD NIH HHS K99 HD086304NICHD NIH HHS R00 HD086304NIDA NIH HHS R01 DA059423NIDDK NIH HHS R01 DK135947
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundWhile the striking impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health, heath care access and lifestyle behaviors, including perceived health, diet, physical activity, and sleep has been reported, few studies have examined these domains jointly among pregnant and postpartum people in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

methodsThis mixed methods study was conducted among a subset of participants (n = 22) in a cohort study in Austin, Texas, who were pregnant or had recently delivered when the outbreak occurred. Measures were from the early second trimester up to 6 months postpartum. Findings from questionnaires were complemented by qualitative interviews during Spring/Summer 2020 regarding experiences during the early pandemic.

resultsFrom our quantitative data (n = 22), most participants reported that the pandemic generally had a negative impact on their lives (81%), that they shifted to eating more at home (71%), and that they were less physically active (62%). Five major themes emerged in our qualitative interviews (n = 22): (1) adaptation to pandemic restrictions; (2) psychosocial experiences, such as feelings of anxiety, guilt, sadness, isolation, and frustration; (3) health behavior changes; (4) health care experiences; and (5) where they obtained general and perinatal related pandemic information. Of those who completed both pregnancy and postpartum interviews (n = 8), all reported anxiety during both periods; however, those who delivered in Spring 2020 experienced more anxiety surrounding delivery and less social support than those who delivered in Summer 2020, who reported less anxiety surrounding hospital birth and greater social support, particularly after delivery.

conclusionsOverall, our findings confirm prior evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic had a marked impact on stress, anxiety, and worries, as well as lifestyle behaviors among pregnant and postpartum people. Our work provides lessons for health care practitioners about support need for pregnant and postpartum persons amid societal disruption.

Indexed as

COVID-19Life StylePostpartum PeriodAdultAnxietyCohort StudiesExerciseFemaleHealth BehaviorHumansMental HealthPandemicsPregnancyPregnant PeopleQualitative ResearchSurveys and QuestionnairesCOVID-19Health behaviorMental healthPostpartumPregnancy

Identifiers

PMID39773424
PMCPMC11706056

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.