Collaborative ECHO research led by Alison Hipwell, PhD, ClinPsyD, of the University of Pittsburg, and Irene Tung, PhD, of California State University Dominguez Hills, found that being pregnant during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with higher levels of stress and depression symptoms. The researchers found that participants who reported more emotional support and engaged in physical activity before and during the pandemic had less stress and fewer symptoms of depression. The results also showed that pregnancies during the pandemic were slightly shorter on average but there was no impact on infant birth weight. This study highlights the importance of providing access to emotional support and mental health care during pregnancy and identifying ways to promote physical activity to help improve maternal health and well-being, regardless of external conditions like the pandemic. This research, titled “Impact of Sedentary Behavior and Emotional Support on Prenatal Psychological Distress and Birth Outcomes During the COVID-19 Pandemic,” is published in Psychological Medicine.
The study included 501 pregnant participants who gave birth during the COVID-19 pandemic (between March 12, 2020 and May 30, 2021) and 501 pregnant participants who gave birth before the pandemic (prior to March 11, 2020). Participants were 31 years old on average and enrolled in one of 16 ECHO research sites across the United States. Participants answered questions about their experiences with stress and depression, reported on their physical activity and described the emotional support they received during pregnancy. The researchers also collected information on participants’ birth outcomes from medical records and maternal reports.
“More research is needed to understand how social support and physical activity may protect pregnant women during difficult times,” said Alison Hipwell, PhD, ClinPsyD, of the University of Pittsburgh. “Future research may look at what types of experiences during the pandemic had the most influence on pregnancy health and well-being.”