A considerable number of women giving birth during COVID-19 pandemic reported being concerned about changes to their childbirth plans and experiences due to imposed restrictions. Research prior to the pandemic suggests that women may be more at risk of post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) due to unmet expectations of their childbirth plans. Therefore, this study aimed to examine if the mismatch between women’s...
Objective/Background: Unmet needs in perinatal mental healthcare are an important public health issue particularly in the context of a stressful life event such as the COVID-19 pandemic but data on the extent of this problem are needed. Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the (1) proportion of women with clinically significant symptoms of perinatal depression, anxiety or comorbid symptoms of depression a...
Introduction: The hospital setting faces a rate of bed occupation by patients whose discharge is limited by other factors apart from clinical needs. This urges the need for an early identification of the patients at risk of delayed discharge due to social factors in order to reduce expenses and to add value that converts itself into the patient health. The aim of this study was to identify the demographic and c...
Background: Breastfeeding promotes children's health and is associated with positive effects to maternal physical and mental health. Uncertainties regarding SARS-CoV-2 transmission led to worries experienced by women and health professionals which impacted breastfeeding plans. We aimed to investigate the im-pact of self-reported and country-specific factors on breastfeeding rates during the COVID-19 pandemic. M...
This study aimed to analyse the role of governmental responses to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, measured by the Containment and Health Index (CHI), on symptoms of anxiety and depression during pregnancy and postpartum, while considering the countries' Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index (IHDI) and individual factors such as age, gravidity, and exposure to COVID-19. A cross-sectional ...
Background: The prevalence of perinatal depression increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, which may be due to changes in the profile of specific depressive symptoms.Aims: To analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the (1) prevalence and severity of specific depressive symptoms; and on the (2) prevalence of clinically significant symptoms of depression during pregnancy and postpartum.Methods: Pregnant an...
We present the case of a 53-year-old woman of Portuguese ancestry with a diagnosis of progressive systemic sclerosis (SSc), proposed for haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Clinical re-evaluation when assessing eligibility for the procedure led to the alternative diagnosis of familial amyloid polyneuropathy (FAP). We discuss the clinical presentations of FAP and SSc, focusing on their overlapping a...
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic was a significant threat to perinatal mental health. This study examined differences in clinically significant depression, anxiety, and co-morbid symptoms among pregnant and postpartum women across several countries and compared prevalence of perinatal depression and anxiety before and during the pandemic in each participating country. Methods: Participants were 3326 pregnant a...
Background: There is evidence that women with gestational diabetes are at increased risk of the common mental disorders of anxiety and depression. The COVID-19 pandemic may have exerted an additional burden on the mental health of this population. The aim of this analysis was to compare levels of symptoms of common mental disorders and experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic between pregnant and postnatal wome...