Dataset Information

Maternal mental health and coping during the COVID-19 lockdown in the UK: Data from the COVID-19 New Mum Study.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To assess how mothers are feeling and coping during lockdown, and to identify the potential pathways that can assist them.

Methods

A descriptive analysis of maternal mental health, coping, support, activities, lockdown consequences was conducted. Women living in the UK with an infant aged ≤12 months completed an online survey. Linear regression was used to identify predictors of maternal mental health and coping.

Results

A majority of the 1329 participants reported feeling down (56%), lonely (59%), irritable (62%), and worried (71%) to some extent since lockdown began, but 70% felt able to cope. Support with her own health (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.004-0.235), contacting infant support groups (95% CI -0.003 to 0.252), and higher gestational age of the infant (95% CI 0.000-0.063) predicted better mental health. Travelling for work (95% CI -0.680 to -0.121), the impact of lockdown on the ability to afford food (95% CI -1.202 to -0.177), and having an income <£30 000 (95% CI -0.475 to -0.042) predicted poorer mental health. Support with her own health and more equal division of household chores were associated with better coping.

Conclusion

There is a need to assess maternal mental health and identify prevention strategies for mothers during lockdown.

SUBMITTER: Dib S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9087547 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Maternal mental health and coping during the COVID-19 lockdown in the UK: Data from the COVID-19 New Mum Study.

Dib Sarah S Rougeaux Emeline E Vázquez-Vázquez Adriana A Wells Jonathan C K JCK Fewtrell Mary M

International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics: the official organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics 20201016 3

<h4>Objective</h4>To assess how mothers are feeling and coping during lockdown, and to identify the potential pathways that can assist them.<h4>Methods</h4>A descriptive analysis of maternal mental health, coping, support, activities, lockdown consequences was conducted. Women living in the UK with an infant aged ≤12 months completed an online survey. Linear regression was used to identify predictors of maternal mental health and coping.<h4>Results</h4>A majority of the 1329 participants reporte ...[more]

PMID: 32979272

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Project description:Background The COVID-19 New Mum Study is recording maternal experiences and infant feeding during the UK lockdown. This report from week 1 of the survey describes and compares the delivery and post-natal experiences of women who delivered before (BL) versus during (DL) the lockdown. Methods Women living in the UK aged ?18 years with an infant ?12 months of age completed an anonymous online survey (https://is.gd/covid19newmumstudy). Information/links are shared via websites, social media and existing contacts. Results From 27.5 to 20-3.6.20, 1365 women provided data (94% white, 95% married/with partner, 66% degree/higher qualification, 86% living in house; 1049 (77%) delivered BL and 316 (23%) DL. Delivery mode, skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding initiation did not differ between groups. DL women had shorter hospital stays (p?<?0.001). 39% reported changes to their birth plan. Reflecting younger infant age, 59% of DL infants were exclusively breast-fed/mixed fed versus 39% of BL (p?<?0.05). 13% reported a change in feeding; often related to lack of breastfeeding support, especially with practical problems. Important sources of feeding support were the partner (60%), health professional (50%) and online groups (47%). 45% of DL women reported insufficient feeding support. Among BL women, 57% and 69% reported decreased feeding support and childcare, respectively. 40% BL/45% DL women reported insufficient support with their own health, 8%/9% contacted a mental health professional; 11% reported their mental health was affected. 9% highlighted lack of contact/support from family and distress that they had missed seeing the baby. Conclusion Lockdown has impacted maternal experiences, resulting in distress for many women. Our findings suggest the need for better infant feeding support, especially ‘face-to-face’ support for practical issues; and recognising and supporting mothers who are struggling with mental health challenges or other aspects of their health. The effectiveness of online versus face-to-face contact is currently uncertain, and requires further evaluation.

Project description:BackgroundPeoples' sexual behaviors have changed during the period of enforced COVID-19 social distancing, in some cases, to cope with negative feelings during lockdown. Research on coping using sex is relatively restricted to samples of men with a history of sexual offending, and it is unknown whether coping using sex is associated with health-related behaviors and mental health in the general population.AimWe examined if coping using sex before and during lockdown was associated with adverse outcomes (i.e., self-perceived reduction in health-related behaviors and mental health) in a community sample.HypothesesWe hypothesized that participants who reported greater use of sex to cope in the weeks preceding lockdown would show a greater decline in health-related behaviors and mental health during lockdown. Furthermore, that changes in coping using sex resulting from lockdown would account for further variance in the worsening of health-related behaviors and mental health.MethodsParticipants were UK residents, aged 18-60 years, and fluent in English. 789 participants completed an online survey, providing demographic information, self-reported social distancing, loneliness, and coping using sex over a 14-day period during lockdown, and retrospectively preceding lockdown.OutcomesParticipants reported perceived changes in health-related behaviors and mental health symptomatology during lockdown compared to before the pandemic. They also self-reported levels of stress, anxiety and depression during lockdown.ResultsGreater coping using sex prior to lockdown predicted positive change in health-related behaviors, for example, higher scores were associated with participants reporting having exercised and slept more. It was also associated with higher trait levels of anxiety, stress and depression during lockdown. Changes in coping using sex from before to during lockdown did not predict perceived changes in health related behaviors or mental health symptomatology.ConclusionsOverall, greater coping using sex prior to lockdown was associated with worse mental health symptomatology during lockdown (anxiety, depression and stress), however, it was also associated with perceived positive change in health-related behaviors compared with before lockdown. This suggests that coping using sex may be associated with negative emotional reactions during lockdown, but may also be linked with positive change in health-promoting behaviors.

Dataset Information

Maternal mental health and coping during the COVID-19 lockdown in the UK: Data from the COVID-19 New Mum Study.

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Publications

Maternal mental health and coping during the COVID-19 lockdown in the UK: Data from the COVID-19 New Mum Study.

Similar Datasets

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