The Effect of Giving Birth While Infected With COVID-19 During the COVID-19 Pandemic on Maternal Anxiety, Depression, and Mother-Infant Bonding: A Comparative Study

Background Giving birth while infected with COVID-19 during the pandemic has brought additional restrictions and practices, it is important to carefully examine the difficulties this group may have faced. Aims This study aims to compare women who gave birth while infected with COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic with women who healthily gave birth in terms of depression, anxiety, and mother-infant bonding levels experienced during the postpartum period. Methods A total of 107 postpartum women, including 53 with positive COVID-19 PCR tests and 54 with negative PCR tests, were included. A clinician administered the following to the patients: a sociodemographic information form, the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) I-II, and the Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire (PBQ). Results In the study, PBQ, EPDS, and STAI-I scores were found to be statistically significantly higher in women who gave birth while infected with COVID-19 compared to those who tested negative for COVID-19 via PCR; however, no significant difference was observed between the groups in terms of STAI-II scores. Additionally, a moderate correlation was observed between EPDS and PBQ scores, and also STAI-I and PBQ scores in women with negative COVID-19 PCR tests, while a strong and statistically significant correlation was seen in women with positive COVID-19 PCR tests. Conclusions This study emphasizes the importance of thoroughly examining the psychological, physical, and social hurdles mothers encounter during this time and the bond they form with their infants. It is believed that this study will help inform hospital birth policies that prioritize the mother-infant bond in future outbreak scenarios.