Mothers who gave birth during pandemic 'twice as likely' to suffer from post-natal depression

Mothers who gave birth during the Covid-19 pandemic are twice as likely to suffer from post-natal depression, according to a new study.

Researchers from the University College London found that women who were caring for a new baby younger than six months old during lockdown last year were suffering from anxiety and exhaustion.

Post-natal depression usually develops within six weeks of giving birth, and symptoms include intrusive thoughts, anxiousness, trouble sleeping, low mood, insomnia, lack of energy and exhaustion, and feeling no enjoyment.

The team of experts surveyed more than 160 women in London, aged between 19 and 47 years old, in May and June 2020, and almost half of respondents - 47 per cent - said they were suffering from symptoms of post-natal depression.

The women were asked to list 25 people who were important to them, and then how often they had kept in contact with those people.

Half of the participants were first-time mothers, while 40 per cent were having their second child, and one in 10 women suffered from "major complications" during labour, which is often one of the causes of post-natal depression.

The findings suggested that the mothers were more likely to suffer from isolation, exhaustion, worry, guilt and increased stress, and some of the women expressed sadness at not being able to meet up with other mums and babies due to the pandemic.

However, those who had more contact with people - friends and family - had fewer depressive symptoms than mothers who were more isolated.

And some mothers were grateful for the increase in family time, with partners home more often and helping out due to the lockdown.

Study leader Dr Sarah Myers said that the Covid-19 pandemic may have "disproportionately impacted mothers".

"Mothers in London were not okay during England's first lockdown, with a substantial number of women meeting the diagnostic criteria for PND (post-natal depression). While Western childrearing norms focus on intensive parenting, our results highlight that it still 'takes a village' to raise children in high-income populations," she explained, noting that "constant mothering" and inadequate support at home was triggering PND.

She called for more support to be offered to new mothers.