Objective: This study aimed to investigate the actual situation of perinatal depression and related factors considering the social impact of COVID-19.Method: This was a cross-sectional study using an ...online self-administered questionnaire in October 2020, and responses were obtained from 739 pregnant women and 1,603 mothers less than a year postpartum.Results: Regarding the experience of crises related to the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, “experiencing criticism for taking the child to public places” was found to be 18.1%, “reduced income” was 38.0%, and “fear of COVID-19 illness” was 77.2%. The logistic regression analysis showed that factors associated with the high risk of perinatal depression were ‘history of mental disorders’, ‘academic background’, ‘maternal and infant health condition’ and ‘social impact of COVID-19, varied depending on timing and delivery history.Conclusion: Depression among pregnant women and mothers increased in the COVID-19 pandemic, and it suggested the need for care considering the social impact of COVID-19.
Perinatal oxidative stress (OS) is involved in the physiopathology of many pregnancy-related disorders and is largely responsible for cellular, tissue and organ damage that occur in the perinatal ...period especially in preterm infants, leading to the so-called “free-radicals related diseases of the newborn”. Reliable biomarkers of lipid, protein, DNA oxidation and antioxidant power in the perinatal period have been demonstrated to show specificity for the disease, to have prognostic power or to correlate with disease activity. Yet potential clinical applications of oxidative stress biomarkers in neonatology are still under study. Overcoming the technical and economic difficulties that preclude the use of OS biomarkers in the clinical practice is a challenge that needs to be overcome to identify high-risk subjects and to predict their short- and long-term outcome. Cord blood, urine and saliva represent valid and ethically acceptable biological samples for investigations in the perinatal period.
Display omitted
Implantation and placentation at the normal site are critical for a successful pregnancy. Many complications associated with pregnancy, which manifest late in pregnancy, such as preeclampsia and ...preterm labour, have been reported to have origins early during pregnancy with abnormalities in implantation and placental development. Placental abnormalities result from impaired embedding of the placenta in the endometrium, encompassing a wide range of placental pathologies associated with high maternal morbidity and mortality. Pregnancy-related complications such as Postpartum Haemorrhage (PPH) and hysterectomy have been closely linked to the Placenta Accreta Spectrum (PAS). PAS refers to the aberrant and invasive implantation of the placenta into the myometrium. Invasiveness in placenta accreta is marginal, followed by placenta increta (partial), placenta percreta (total), and placenta previa (covering the cervix). Here, the authors present a unique case report of an antenatal woman with antepartum haemorrhage, placenta previa, and placenta accreta at the previous Lower Segment Caesarean Section (LSCS) scar site, with massive PPH at 35 weeks, who benefited from an emergency LSCS with bilateral uterine and internal iliac artery ligation procedure, resulting in a life-saving outcome. The most common risk factors for PAS include prior caesarean section and curettage. The adhered placenta can lead to pelvic bleeding and necessitate an emergency hysterectomy. Therefore, it poses unique diagnostic and treatment issues, with the majority of cases requiring preterm termination of pregnancy.
Objective: this study aims to characterize the help-seeking behaviours of women who were screened positive for perinatal depression, to investigate its sociodemographic and clinical correlates, and ...to characterize the perceived barriers that prevent women from seeking professional help. Design: cross-sectional internet survey. Setting: participants were recruited through advertisements published in pamphlets and posted on social media websites (e.g., Facebook) and websites and forums that focused on pregnancy and childbirth. Participants: 656 women (currently pregnant or who had a baby during the last 12 months) completed the survey. Measurements: participants were assessed with the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale, and were questioned about sociodemographic and clinical data, help-seeking behaviours and perceived barriers to help-seeking. Findings: different pathways of help-seeking were found, with only 13.6% of women with a perinatal depression seeking help for their emotional problems. Married women, currently pregnant women, and women without history of psychological problems had a higher likelihood of not engaging in any type of help-seeking behaviour. The majority of women who had not sought professional assistance identified several barriers to help-seeking, particularly knowledge barriers. Key conclusions: strategies to increase women's help-seeking behaviours should be implemented, namely improving mental health literacy, introducing screening procedures for mental health problems in pre/postnatal health care settings, and offering women innovative opportunities (e.g., web-based tools) that allow them to overcome the practical barriers to help-seeking. References
Background:
Up to one in five women meet diagnostic criteria for an anxiety disorder during the perinatal period (i.e. pregnancy and up to 1 year postpartum). While psychotropic medications are ...effective, they are associated with risks for mothers and babies. There is a growing demand for evidence-based non-pharmacological treatments for perinatal anxiety.
Objective:
To evaluate the effectiveness of a cognitive behavioral group therapy protocol for perinatal anxiety.
Methods:
In total, 96 women were randomized to cognitive behavioral group therapy or waitlist at a clinic specializing in women’s mental health. Participants were 22–41 years of age, pregnant or up to 6 months postpartum and had an anxiety disorder with or without comorbid depression.
Results:
Compared to waitlist, participants in cognitive behavioral group therapy reported significantly greater reductions in the primary outcome of anxiety (State-Trait Inventory of Cognitive and Somatic Anxiety, η2p = .19; Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, η2p = .16), as well as in secondary outcomes including worry (Penn State Worry Questionnaire, η2p = .29), perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale, η2p = .33) and depressive symptoms (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, η2p = .27; Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale, η2p = .11). Maternal status (pregnant, postpartum) and medication use were unrelated to treatment outcomes. All gains were maintained, or continued to improve, at 3-month follow-up.
Conclusion:
Cognitive behavioral group therapy was effective in improving anxiety and related symptoms among women with anxiety disorders in the perinatal period.
PDF
