Publication date: Jul 06, 2023

This research aimed to identify the sources of social support and its relationship with perinatal depression (PPD) during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. We carried out a cross-sectional study with a sample of 3,356 women during perinatal period living in Spain. We used five items from the Spanish version of the Coronavirus Perinatal Experiences – Impact Survey to assess the impact of COVID-19 on social support and, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale was used to assess depressive symptomatology. The results obtained identified a possible relationship between seeking in-person support (OR = 0. 51; 0. 67, during pregnancy and after delivery respectively) and degree of feeling social support (OR = 0. 77; 0. 77) during the COVID-19 pandemic with a lower prevalence of depression. Otherwise, requiring the help of a mental health professional (OR = 2. 92; 2. 41) and weeks of confinement (OR = 1. 03; 1. 01) appeared to be associated with a higher prevalence of depression. During pregnancy, a possible association was found between the degree of concern about future changes in support and involvement of family and friends (OR = 1. 75) with a higher prevalence of depression. On the other hand, in the postpartum period, there seems to be a relationship between seeking social support through social media (OR = 1. 32) with a higher prevalence of depression and receiving support from friends (OR = 0. 70) and health professionals (OR = 0. 53) with a lower prevalence of depression. These results highlighted the importance of protecting perinatal mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic by protecting and developing social support networks.

Semantics

Original Article