Dr. Bérard, the principal investigator of the international CONCEPTION study, and her colleagues have found that COVID-19 has negatively influenced the mental health of pregnant persons and their babies. They found that nearly a quarter of women who were pregnant or had just given birth suffered from major depressive symptoms. In nearly 40% of these women, the severity of the symptoms ranged from moderate to severe. They were notably associated with depression, anxiety and stress related to the risk of premature birth, lower birth weight and cognitive problems during childhood.
According to the study, the second wave of the pandemic (between December 2020 and April 2021) had the greatest impact on the mental health of pregnant presons.
