Phd in SENSORINEURAL PLASTICITY

Thesis title: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on postpartum maternal mental health

Objectives: There are reports of mental health worsening during the Covid-19 pandemic. We aimed to assess whether this occurred in women who were pregnant at baseline (late 2019) and unaware of the pandemic, who delivered after implementation of Covid-19 restrictions and threat (March-April 2020). To compare the pandemic period with the pre-pandemic we capitalised on a retrospective 2017-2018 sample which had had affective symptoms assessed. Methods: The COVID sample was administered the Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Hypomania Checklist-32 (HCL-32), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) at T0 (pregnancy) and T1 (post-delivery). The nonCOVID sample had completed EPDS and HCL-32 at the same timepoints. Results: The COVID sample included 72 women, aged 21-46 years (mean=33.25 years±4.69), the nonCOVID 75, aged 21-46 years (mean=33.75 years±4.73). Samples did not differ significantly on EPDS score or its anxiety subscores at T1 or in the cases who screened positive on this tool. The COVID group scored higher on anxiety than the nonCOVID at T0, but not at T1. No differences were found on other instruments. Limitations: Relatively small sample and lack of stress assessment in the retrospective sample. Conclusions: Evidence suggests that reproductive experience alters the female brain in adaptive ways. This maternal brain plasticity facilitates a higher purpose, the continuation of the species. Women delivering amidst the pandemic did not differ in depressive and anxiety symptoms from their pre-pandemic scores and from pre-pandemic women. New mothers responded to the pandemic with no mental health impairment, differently from the general population. Because stress responses have high energy costs, it is optimal for maternal animals’ needs to minimize such high metabolic costs during motherhood. This may point to recruitment of motherhood-related resources, potentially overcoming the effects of the pandemic on mental health.