Half of New Mothers in London Experienced Postpartum Depression during COVID-19 “Lockdown”
New mothers were twice as likely to experience postpartum depressive symptoms during the first “lockdown” of COVID-19 compared to pre-COVID, according to a new study from University College London. Researchers surveyed 162 London mothers with children under 6 months old between May and June of 2020. Compared to an estimated 23% before the pandemic, 48% met criteria for postpartum depression. The researchers also collected information about each mother’s social networks during the study period. Although virtual and remote communication was not as beneficial as in-person support, mothers with larger social networks reported less severe depressive symptoms. To learn more, see the study in Frontiers in Psychology.