Depression and Anxiety in Pregnancy During COVID-19: a Rapid Review and Meta-Analysis
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Depression and Anxiety in Pregnancy during COVID-19: A Rapid Review and Meta-Analysis Lianne M. TOMFOHR-MADSEN, PhD1,2,3 Nicole RACINE, PhD1,2 Gerald F GIESBRECHT PhD1,2 Catherine LEBEL, PhD2,4 Sheri MADIGAN, PhD1,2 1. Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB 2. Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute (ACHRI), Calgary, AB 3. Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB 4. Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB Disclosure Statement: The authors report no conflicts of interest. Financial Support: Salary support for this project was provided by the Canadian Child Health Clinician Scientist Program (CCHCSP; LTM). Address correspondence to: Lianne Tomfohr-Madsen, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive, NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, [email protected] 1 Abstract Objective: The present study rapidly reviewed and meta-analyzed the worldwide prevalence of depression and anxiety among pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A systematic search of the literature and meta-analyses were conducted. Results: Fifteen studies with 11,091 participants met inclusion criteria. Depression was assessed in 11 studies, with a pooled prevalence of .265 or 26.5% and anxiety in 12 studies, with a pooled prevalence of .335 or 33.5%. Conclusions: Rates of depression and anxiety during pregnancy are elevated during the pandemic. There is an urgent need to ensure screening and treatment for depression and anxiety during pregnancy. Keywords: Pregnancy, COVID-19, Mental Health, Depression, Anxiety, Meta-Analysis 2 Exposure to natural disasters and disease outbreaks increases the prevalence of mental health problems, including during pregnancy.1 Early reports from pregnant cohorts around the world suggest elevated depression and anxiety symptoms among pregnant individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, the exact prevalence is unknown. The aim of the current study was to conduct a rapid review of the prevalence of depression and anxiety experienced in pregnancy during the COVID-19 pandemic and examine moderators of these associations. Study Design This rapid review was registered with PROSPERO [CRD42020205186]. PRISMA guidelines were followed for search strategy, article screening, and data extraction.2 A health sciences librarian conducted electronic searches in PsycINFO, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trails (CENTAL), EMBASE, and MEDLINE up to August 28th, 2020. The search strategy included terms from three themes: 1) mental health and illness (including depression and anxiety), 2) COVID-19, and 3) pregnancy. Terms were searched as subject headings and keywords. Adjacency operators and truncation symbols were used to capture variations in key terms. A database of prints pre-publication for studies that matched the key terms “pregnan*” and “COVID-19” was also searched. Inclusion criteria for the current study were: 1) study participants were pregnant; 2) a proportion of individuals in the study met clinical cut-offs for anxiety or depressive symptoms via a validated self-report measure or healthcare professional diagnosis; 3) data was obtained after the onset of COVID-19, 4) participants were > 18 years; 5) study was empirical; and 6) written in English. Qualitative or case study reports were excluded. Using Covidence software, one author reviewed all titles and abstracts emerging from the search strategy to determine inclusion eligibility. A second author reviewed 20% of titles and abstracts for 3 reliability with Cohen’s Kappa=.87. Disagreements were resolved via consensus. Subsequently, full text articles were reviewed by both coders and reliability for the full text review yielded Cohen’s Kappa=.81. Disagreements were resolved by discussion. Data Extraction Prevalence data of clinically elevated anxiety and depressive symptoms were extracted by two coders. Each coder conducted 50% of the extractions and all included studies were double extracted for reliability purposes. All studies were examined to ensure those included represented independent samples. Moderators extracted were: 1) study quality; 2) participant age (mean); 3) geographic location, 4) gestation (weeks pregnant), and 5) % minority of the sample. Study Quality A short 6-item study quality measure was used based on modified versions of the National Institute of Health Quality Assessment Tool for Observation Cohort and Cross- Sectional Studies;3,4 scores ranged from 0-6. Data Analysis All data was entered into Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA version 3.0)5 where pooled prevalence and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed. Random-effects models were used. Pooled prevalences were weighted by the inverse of their variance, giving greater weight to studies with larger samples. Tests of heterogeneity were examined with and without outliers to determine if outliers influenced between-study heterogeneity, which was examined using Q and I2 statistics. A Q statistic or I2 statistic greater than 75% suggests moderator analyses should be explored. Categorical moderators were only conducted when k ≥ 10 and with a minimum cell size of k > 3 were available. Random-effect meta-regressions were 4 calculated for continuous moderators. The Egger test and funnel plots were used to examine publication bias. Results The search yielded 361 non-duplicate records (Fig. 1a). 31 full text articles were reviewed and 15 met full inclusion criteria. Study Characteristics Across all 15 studies, mean participant age was 30.93 years (range, 29.2-32.98) and mean gestational age was 21.64 weeks (range 7.04-31.63) (Table 1). Ten countries were represented, across North America (n=5, 33.3%), East Asia (n=4; 26.7%), Europe (n=3, 20%), West Asia (n=2, 13.3%), and South Asia (n=1, 7%).6-16 Mean study quality was 3.8 out of 6 (range: 2-5). Pooled Prevalence of Clinically Elevated Prenatal Depressive Symptoms During COVID-19 A random-effects meta-analysis of 11 studies revealed a pooled event rate of .265 (95% CI: .217, .319; Fig 1b). The funnel plot was asymmetrical; however, the Egger test was not significant (p < .20). There was significant between-study heterogeneity (Q = 203.47, p < .001, I2 = 95.09); thus, maternal age and gestational age were explored as potential moderators. The event rate of prenatal depression increased as maternal age increased (Z = 2.67; p < .01). Gestational age was not a significant moderator of event rate (Z = 0.60; p < .55) Pooled Prevalence of Clinically Elevated Prenatal Anxiety Symptoms During COVID-19 A random-effects meta-analysis of 12 studies revealed a pooled event rate of .335 (95% CI: .230, .497); Fig 1c), indicating a prevalence of clinically significant prenatal anxiety across studies of 33.5%. The funnel plot was symmetrical and the Egger test was not significant (p = 45). There was significant between-study heterogeneity (Q = 1381.48, p < .001, I2 = 99.20); thus, 5 potential moderators were explored. The event rate of prenatal anxiety increased with maternal age (Z = 2.14; p < .05). Gestational age was not a significant moderator (Z = -0.73; p < .47). Comment In this rapid review and meta-analysis, we observed significantly elevated rates of antenatal depression and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to historical norms.17,18 Older mothers were more likely to report elevated depression and anxiety symptoms. Meta-analysis of the prevalence of depression and anxiety suggests elevated rates at levels relevant to clinicians and policy makers. In line with pre-pandemic practice guidelines, this study suggests the need for screening for depression and anxiety in pregnancy during the pandemic.19,20 When elevated rates of depression and anxiety are detected, it is imperative that women are offered services that meet their treatment preferences (i.e., pharmacological or psychological) and can be accessed remotely.21,22 6 Acknowledgment(s) We would like thank Nicole Dunnewold, MLIS, from the University of Calgary, for her assistance with the search strategy. Funding was provided by the Canadian Child Clinician Scientist Research Program (LTM), the Canada Research Chairs Program (SM, CL) and Alberta Innovates (NR). 7 References 1. Lee DTS, Sahota D, Leung TN, Yip ASK, Lee FFY, Chung TKH. Psychological responses of pregnant women to an infectious outbreak: A case-control study of the 2003 SARS outbreak in Hong Kong. Journal of Psychosomatic Research. 2006;61(5):707-713. 2. Moher D, Shamseer L, Clarke M, et al. Preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis protocols (PRISMA-P) 2015 statement. Systematic Reviews. 2015;4(1):1. 3. Wells GA, Shea B, Higgins JP, Sterne J, Tugwell P, Reeves BC. Checklists of methodological issues for review authors to consider when including non-randomized studies in systematic reviews. Res Synth Methods. 2013;4(1):63-77. 4. National Heart L, and Blood Institute. Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/study-quality- assessment-tools. Published 2014. Accessed. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/study-quality-assessment-tools. 5. Compehensive Meta-Analysis Software (CMA) [computer program]. Version 3: Biostat; 2013. 6. Davenport MH, Meyer S, Meah VL, Strynadka MC, Khurana R. Moms Are Not OK: COVID-19 and Maternal Mental Health. Frontiers in Global Women's Health. 2020;1. 7. Cameron EE, Joyce KM, Delaquis CP, Reynolds K, Protudjer JLP, Roos LE. Maternal psychological distress & mental health service use during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Affective Disorders. 2020;276:765-774. 8. Lebel C, MacKinnon A, Bagshawe M, Tomfohr-Madsen L, Giesbrecht G. Elevated depression and anxiety symptoms among pregnant individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. J Affect Disord. 2020;277:5-13. 9. Durankus F, Aksu E. Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on anxiety and depressive symptoms in pregnant women: a preliminary study. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2020;10.1080/14767058.2020.1763946:1-7. 10. Suzuki S. Psychological status during the first trimester of pregnancy under the COVID- 19 epidemic in Japan. The Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine.