Psychological interventions to improve maternal mental health and resilience during pregnancy in the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review.
Georgios C Soultanopoulos, Judith J Idzenga, Astrid M Kamperman et al.
✦ AI-curated · Sources linked
In 30 seconds
This systematic review evaluated psychological interventions aimed at improving maternal mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on pregnant women. Sixteen studies were included, revealing that most interventions, such as cognitive behavioural therapy and mindfulness, led to reductions in depression, anxiety, or stress. The review highlights the potential of these interventions to enhance resilience.
Key findings
- Most studies reported reductions in depression, anxiety, or stress among pregnant women.
- Some interventions showed improvements in resilience-related factors.
- Interventions were delivered through individual, group, digital, or hybrid formats.
- The methodological quality of the included studies was modest.
Why it matters
Understanding the effectiveness of psychological interventions during crises is crucial for supporting maternal mental health. This knowledge can guide clinicians in providing appropriate care when traditional mental health services are unavailable.
What to keep in mind
The review noted modest methodological quality, heterogeneous outcome measures, and limited follow-up across studies.