Social distancing and mental health among pregnant women during the coronavirus pandemic

Background The effect of social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of pregnant women is of particular concern, given potential effects on physical health, family functioning, and child development. Methods Pregnant women were recruited for the “Implications of and Experiences Surrounding being Pregnant during the COVID-19 Pandemic” study at Woman’s Hospital in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Participants enrolled at any point during their pregnancy and surveys were delivered weekly until the participant indicated that she had delivered her baby; a postpartum survey followed four weeks after delivery. This analysis includes 1037 participants with baseline, 596 with follow-up, and 302 with postpartum surveys. Questions on social distancing behaviors were asked at baseline and grouped based on whether they involved social distancing from work, friends and family, or public places. Symptoms of anxiety, stress, depression, and pregnancy-related anxiety were measured. Each type of social distancing was examined as a predictor of mental health using linear model with control for confounders. Results The study population was largely white, married, and educated. Women who were younger, Black, single, or had less education or income reported fewer social distancing behaviors. After controlling for covariates, anxiety was associated with social distancing from friends and family and public events, while perceived stress postpartum and pregnancy-related stress were not associated with social distancing. Associations were substantially diminished when controlled for baseline levels of anxiety symptoms. Conclusions Greater social distancing was associated with more mental health symptoms, but worse mental health, particularly anxiety, may also have contributed to greater social distancing behaviors.