The COVID-19 pandemic, in combination with systemic racism in the U.S., is associated with elevated levels of postpartum anxiety and depression among Black mothers, researchers reported in JAMA Psychiatry. Wanjiku F. M. Njoroge, MD, the medical director of the Young Child Clinic and program director of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at the Children's Hospital of
Amid COVID-19, new mothers are facing yet another health crisis: Depression and anxiety.
Since lockdowns began in March 2020, unprecedented numbers of pregnant people and new mothers have struggled to manage their mental health. Rates of depression in the group have increased by 15 to 20 percent, according to research conducted by Brigham and Women’s Hospital. The study found that 36 percent of pregnant and postpartum women reported significant levels of depression, while pre-pandemic rates of perinatal depression were 15 to 20 percent. What’s more, one in five new mothers reported significant levels of generalized anxiety, while over 10 percent reported experiencing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.
New Mothers Are Facing a Mental Health Crisis Amid the Pandemic
Read full article
Amid COVID-19, new mothers are facing yet another health crisis: Depression and anxiety.
Since lockdowns began in March 2020, unprecedented numbers of pregnant people and new mothers have struggled to manage their mental health. Rates of depression in the group have increased by 15 to 20 percent, according to research conducted by Brigham and Women’s Hospital. The study found that 36 percent of pregnant and postpartum women reported significant levels of depression, while pre-pandemic rates of perinatal depression were 15 to 20 percent. What’s more, one in five new mothers reported significant levels of generalized anxiety, while over 10 percent reported experiencing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.