TY - JOUR
T1 - Increased postpartum anxiety symptoms after perinatal SARS-CoV-2 infection in a large, prospective pregnancy cohort in New York City
AU - Castro, Juliana
AU - Gigase, Frederieke A.J.
AU - Molenaar, Nina M.
AU - Ibroçi, Erona
AU - Perez-Rodriguez, M. Mercedes
AU - Lieb, Whitney
AU - Janevic, Teresa
AU - de Witte, Lot D.
AU - Bergink, Veerle
AU - Rommel, Anna Sophie
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023
PY - 2024/2
Y1 - 2024/2
N2 - Numerous studies reported an increase of postpartum mood symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, the link between severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and perinatal mental health is less well understood. We investigated the associations between prenatal SARS-CoV-2 infection and postpartum depressive and anxiety symptoms, including examinations of infection timing and pandemic timeline. We included 595 participants from Generation C, a prospective pregnancy cohort in New York City (2020–2022). Prenatal SARS-CoV-2 infection was determined via laboratory or medical diagnosis. Depression and anxiety symptoms were measured 4–12 weeks postpartum using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder questionnaire (GAD), respectively. Quantile regressions were conducted with prenatal SARS-CoV-2 infection as exposure and continuously measured EPDS and GAD scores as outcomes. We reran the analyses in those with COVID-19-like symptoms in the trimester during which infection occurred. 120 (20.1%) participants had prenatal SARS-CoV-2 infection. After adjusting for socio-demographic, obstetric and other maternal health factors, prenatal SARS-CoV-2 infection was associated with higher median postpartum anxiety scores (b = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.15; 0.96). Late gestation infection (b = 1.15, 95% CI = 0.22; 2.09) and symptomatic infection (b = 1.15, 95% CI = 0.12; 2.18) were also associated with higher median postpartum anxiety scores. No associations were found with depressive symptoms. The associations were not moderated by time since the start of the pandemic. This study suggests that prenatal SARS-CoV-2 infection increases the risk of postpartum anxiety symptoms among participants reporting median anxiety symptoms. Given that this association was not affected by pandemic timing and that SARS-CoV-2 transmission continues, individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy should be monitored for postpartum anxiety symptoms.
AB - Numerous studies reported an increase of postpartum mood symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, the link between severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and perinatal mental health is less well understood. We investigated the associations between prenatal SARS-CoV-2 infection and postpartum depressive and anxiety symptoms, including examinations of infection timing and pandemic timeline. We included 595 participants from Generation C, a prospective pregnancy cohort in New York City (2020–2022). Prenatal SARS-CoV-2 infection was determined via laboratory or medical diagnosis. Depression and anxiety symptoms were measured 4–12 weeks postpartum using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder questionnaire (GAD), respectively. Quantile regressions were conducted with prenatal SARS-CoV-2 infection as exposure and continuously measured EPDS and GAD scores as outcomes. We reran the analyses in those with COVID-19-like symptoms in the trimester during which infection occurred. 120 (20.1%) participants had prenatal SARS-CoV-2 infection. After adjusting for socio-demographic, obstetric and other maternal health factors, prenatal SARS-CoV-2 infection was associated with higher median postpartum anxiety scores (b = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.15; 0.96). Late gestation infection (b = 1.15, 95% CI = 0.22; 2.09) and symptomatic infection (b = 1.15, 95% CI = 0.12; 2.18) were also associated with higher median postpartum anxiety scores. No associations were found with depressive symptoms. The associations were not moderated by time since the start of the pandemic. This study suggests that prenatal SARS-CoV-2 infection increases the risk of postpartum anxiety symptoms among participants reporting median anxiety symptoms. Given that this association was not affected by pandemic timing and that SARS-CoV-2 transmission continues, individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy should be monitored for postpartum anxiety symptoms.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85180592495&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.12.020
DO - 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.12.020
M3 - Article
C2 - 38134722
AN - SCOPUS:85180592495
SN - 0022-3956
VL - 170
SP - 130
EP - 137
JO - Journal of Psychiatric Research
JF - Journal of Psychiatric Research
ER -