REVIEW OF POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION OF WOMEN WHO GAVE BIRTH DURING COVID-19

https://doi.org/10.71284/tjmhs.2026326

Abstract

birth during the COVID-19 pandemic and their associations with sociodemographic, obstetric, and
COVID-19-related factors, fear of COVID-19, and maternal bonding.
Methods: This hospital-based, cross-sectional analytical study was conducted with 236 postpartum
women at Karabük Training and Research Hospital between March 20 and July 20, 2022. Data were
collected through face-to-face interviews using the General Questionnaire, Edinburgh Postnatal
Depression Scale (EPDS), Fear of COVID-19 Scale, and Maternal Attachment Scale. Data were analyzed
using the independent-samples t-test, ANOVA/Welch ANOVA, Pearson correlation analysis, and
multiple linear regression.
Results: The mean total EPDS score was 4.02±5.16. Planned pregnancy and regular prenatal follow-up
were associated with lower EPDS scores, whereas health problems and stress during pregnancy, recalling
childbirth as frightening, neonatal complications, and perceiving infant care as difficult were associated
with higher scores. The obstetric model explained 45% of the variance in EPDS scores. Stress during
pregnancy, a frightening childbirth experience, and perceiving infant care as moderately difficult or
difficult were independently associated with higher EPDS scores. COVID-19 infection status was not
significantly associated with EPDS scores, whereas scores differed according to the timing of infection.
Fear of COVID-19 was weakly negatively correlated with EPDS scores but was not an independent
predictor. Higher maternal bonding was independently associated with lower EPDS scores.
Conclusion: Postpartum depressive symptoms appeared to be more closely associated with obstetric and
psychosocial factors related to pregnancy, childbirth, and infant care than with COVID-19-specific
factors. Assessing stress, adverse childbirth experiences, difficulties in infant care, and maternal bonding
during postpartum follow-up may contribute to the early identification of women with elevated
depressive symptoms.
Keywords: Postpartum depression, COVID-19 pandemic, maternal bonding