ArticleBMC public health2025
COVID-19 and anxiety in pregnancy and postpartum: a longitudinal survey.
Article in BMC public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
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.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Longitudinal Changes in Maternal Depressive and Anxiety Symptoms Following COVID-19 During Pregnancy: A Cohort Study from Slovakia.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Article
- Pregnant Women's Experiences of Stress During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
11 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundAnxiety is estimated to affect between 15 and 20 per cent of women during pregnancy and postpartum. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in wide-ranging changes to how people lived, worked and socialised around the world. COVID and pandemic-related restrictions to maternity services may have exacerbated anxiety during pregnancy and the postnatal period. This study aimed to determine: (1) levels of COVID exposure and perceived risk; (2) adherence to Government guidelines and restrictions; and (3) the impact of COVID and COVID-related restrictions on perinatal anxiety and mental health in the UK.
methodsA longitudinal survey (n = 2122) of COVID and anxiety in women during early pregnancy, mid-pregnancy, late pregnancy and postpartum.
results38.41% of participants had COVID before or during the study. Perinatal anxiety was predicted by participants having poor general health, being of Asian or mixed ethnicity, having previous mental health problems, believing that COVID would make them severely ill, and reporting that COVID had impacted on their mental health. Over time, more women were infected with COVID, and the perceived severity of COVID decreased. Experiencing mild COVID was associated with decreased anxiety at the subsequent time point (mean difference -0.72, 95% CI -1.38 to -0.07, p = 0.030). Very few participants in this sample had severe COVID (2.9%) or reported it having a severe impact on their mental health (5.66%). Most participants (75.3%) said the pandemic had 'no' or a 'slight' impact on their mental health. Pandemic-related restrictions to maternity care affected more women, with around 40% reporting anxiety about being separated from baby, their partner not being with them in labor, or having to leave shortly after the birth. Level of adherence to guidelines was variable, depending on the restriction.
conclusionsFindings suggest pandemic-related restrictions caused anxiety for more women than COVID per se. Adherence to guidelines was variable yet the prevalence of COVID infections was low compared to the general population. Findings can be used to inform policy and practice for future pandemics and health-related crises.
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