Risk of postpartum depressive symptoms is influenced by psychological burden related to the COVID-19 pandemic and dependent from individual stress coping

Abstract Purpose There are different studies worldwide, which have shown a higher risk of mental disorders due to the COVID-19 pandemic. One aim of this study was to characterize factors influencing the psychological burden related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact on postpartum depressive symptoms. Further, the role of individual stress and coping strategies was analyzed in this context. Material and Methods 131 women, who were in obstetric care at the LMU Clinic Munich, between March and October 2020, were questioned by different self-report questionnaires, before birth, one month, two months and 6 months after birth. A designed questionnaire to evaluate the psychological burden related to the COVID-19 pandemic, a modified version of the Stress and coping inventory (SCI) and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) were utilized Results We could show that the psychological burden related to the COVID-19 pandemic influenced the EPDS score one, two and 6 months after birth. In addition, the prenatal stress and individual coping strategies affected the EPDS and the burden related to the COVID-19 pandemic before and after birth significantly. Conclusion An association of the psychological burden related to the COVID-19 pandemic with the risk of developing postpartum depressive symptoms could be shown in this study. In this context, the separation of the partner and the family were recognized as important factors. Furthermore, the SCI was identified as effective screening instrument for mothers before delivery to possibly avoid the development of postpartum depression by early diagnosis and intervention.