Prevalence of depressive symptoms among Chinese pregnant and postpartum women during the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: In recent studies, the COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with increased risk of mental health problems across many subpopulations including pregnant and postnatal women. This study examined the prevalence and correlates of depressive symptoms (depression hereafter) in Chinese pregnant and postpartum women during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: This is a multicentre, cross-sectional study comprising 1,309 pregnant and postpartum women across 12 provinces in China during the COVID-19 pandemic. Depression was assessed using the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ9). Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted. RESULTS: The prevalence of depression in pregnant and postpartum women was 27.43% (95% CI=25.01%-29.85%). Women who were worried about themselves or their babies being infected with COVID-19 (OR=2.562, 95%CI=1.670-3.929), and those who had delayed regular medical check-ups (OR=2.434, 95%CI=1.580-3.750) were at higher risk of depression. Compared to those living in central and western parts of China, women living in northern (OR=0.513, 95%CI=0.326-0.807) and southeastern parts of China (OR=0.626, 95%CI=0.463-0.846) were less likely to have depression." CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with an increased likelihood of mental health problems among pregnant and postnatal women. Over a quarter of the pregnant and postpartum women in China suffered from depression during the COVID-19 pandemic. Considering the negative health impact of depression, preventive measures, regular mental health screening and medical check-ups are needed with the goal to reduce the risk of depression in this vulnerable population during a pandemic.