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. 2023 Sep-Oct:84:102-111.
doi: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2023.06.007. Epub 2023 Jun 23.

Women's perinatal depression: Anhedonia-related symptoms have increased in the COVID-19 pandemic

Raquel Costa  1 , Tiago Miguel Pinto  2 , Ana Conde  3 , Ana Mesquita  4 , Emma Motrico  5 , Bárbara Figueiredo  6
Affiliations

Women's perinatal depression: Anhedonia-related symptoms have increased in the COVID-19 pandemic

Raquel Costa et al. Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2023 Sep-Oct.

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of perinatal depression increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, which may be due to changes in the profile of specific depressive symptoms.

Aims: To analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the (1) prevalence and severity of specific depressive symptoms; and on the (2) prevalence of clinically significant symptoms of depression during pregnancy and postpartum.

Methods: Pregnant and postpartum women recruited before (n = 2395) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (n = 1396) completed a sociodemographic and obstetric questionnaire and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). For each item, scores ≥1 and ≥ 2 were used to calculate the prevalence and severity of depressive symptoms, respectively.

Results: The prevalence and severity of symptoms of depression were significantly higher during the COVID-19 pandemic. The prevalence of specific symptoms increased by >30%, namely "being able to laugh and see the funny side of things" (pregnancy 32.6%, postpartum 40.6%), "looking forward with enjoyment to things" (pregnancy 37.2%, postpartum 47.2%); and "feelings of sadness/miserable" or "unhappiness leading to crying" during postpartum (34.2% and 30.2%, respectively). A substantial increase was observed in the severity of specific symptoms related to feelings that "things have been getting on top of me" during pregnancy and the postpartum period (19.4% and 31.6%, respectively); "feeling sad or miserable" during pregnancy (10.8%); and "feeling scared/panicky" during postpartum (21.4%).

Conclusion: Special attention should be paid to anhedonia-related symptoms of perinatal depression to ensure that they are adequately managed in present and future situations of crisis.

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic; Postpartum; Pregnancy; Prevalence; Severity; Symptoms of depression.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Competing Interest None.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Estimates and 95% CI around the probability of having a depressive symptom (score ≥ 1) before (black) and after (grey) or a severe depressive symptom (score ≥ 2) before (black) and after (grey) the COVID-19 pandemic - Pregnancy.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Estimates and 95% CI around the probability of having a depressive symptom (score ≥ 1) before (black) and after (grey) or a severe depressive symptom (score ≥ 2) before (black) and after (grey) the COVID-19 pandemic - Postpartum.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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