Objective: To understand how giving birth during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic affected women based on birth parameters (gestational age, type of birth and body weight at birth), satisfaction with childbirth, and development of postpartum depression.
Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of 162 Spanish women. They were divided into two groups: those who gave birth before the pandemic (n = 82; from September 1, 2019 to March 1, 2020) and during the pandemic (n = 75; from April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2020). They were assessed using psychological instruments for postpartum childbirth satisfaction and postpartum depression.
Results: It was found that women who gave birth during the pandemic suffered higher levels of stress during childbirth (U = 2652.50; P = 0.040) and gave a worse rating of the quality of care received (U = 2703.50; P = 0.041). In addition, the percentage of postpartum depression was much higher in women who gave birth during the pandemic (χ2 = 4.31; P = 0.038).
Conclusion: Giving birth during the COVID-19 pandemic could have an impact on greater dissatisfaction with childbirth, as well as increasing the risk of postpartum depression.
Keywords: birth satisfaction; childbirth; depression; pandemic; postpartum; stress.
© 2020 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics.