Clinical Depression

Pregnancy and the postpartum period are known to have increased vulnerability to psychological disorders. This article aimed to reveal the psychological impacts of pregnancy in the current COVID-19 pandemic. PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and CINAHL databases were searched to include studies between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2021. Two reviewers screened all studies and narrative data synthesis was conducted. This review analysed four studies, which involved a total of 1,742 pregnant mothers with diverse locations globally. Reports suggest that COVID-19 impacted differently on pregnant mothers, which in turn leads to distinctive psychological outcomes such as depression, anxiety, and thoughts of self-harm. Data for all studies were collected from early 2020; such preliminary results highlight the need for further research into the impacts of such maternal psychological consequences on childcare in the context of COVID-19. Furthermore, efforts are continually needed to reduce barriers to mental health services, including addressing the stigma of depression or anxiety among pregnant mothers. Filling such knowledge and research gap will foster the development of guidelines and interventions to better support pregnant mothers who experience the difficulties of the COVID-19 pandemic.