Substance use and mental health in pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic #MMPMID33870821
Smith CL; Waters SF; Spellacy D; Burduli E; Brooks O; Carty CL; Ranjo S; McPherson S; Barbosa-Leiker C
J Reprod Infant Psychol 2022[Nov]; 40 (5): 465-478 PMID33870821show ga
OBJECTIVES: We examined the prevalence of substance use as a coping mechanism and identified relationships between maternal mental health over time and use of substances to cope during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic among pregnant women in the U.S.A. METHODS: Self-reported repeated measures from 83 pregnant women were collected online in April 2020 and May 2020. Women retrospectively reported their mental/emotional health before the pandemic, as well as depression, stress, and substance use as a result of the pandemic at both time points. Linear regression measured cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between mental health and substance use. RESULTS: Pre-COVID-19 reports of poorer mental/emotional health (b = 0.46) were significantly (p < .05) associated with number of substances used to cope with the pandemic. Elevated stress (b = 0.35) and depressive symptoms (b = 0.27) and poorer mental/emotional health (b = 0.14) in April were also significantly related to higher numbers of substances used in May (p < .05). CONCLUSION: Pregnant women's psychological well-being may be a readily measured indicator substance use risk during crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Interventions addressing increased stress and depression may also mitigate the emergence of greater substance use among pregnant women.
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J+Reprod+Infant+Psychol 2022 ; 40 (5): 465-478
