Substance use and mental health in pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic. (3rd September 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Smith, Crystal Lederhos; Waters, Sara F.; Spellacy, Danielle; Burduli, Ekaterina; Brooks, Olivia; Carty, Cara L.; Ranjo, Samantha; McPherson, Sterling; Barbosa-Leiker, Celestina
• Is Part Of: Journal of reproductive and infant psychology. Volume 40:Number 5(2022)
• Page Start: 465
• Page End: 478
• Publication Date: 2022-09-03
• Subjects: Substance use -- pregnancy -- depression -- mental health -- COVID-19 -- SARS-COV-2; Human reproduction -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; Pregnancy -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; Infant psychology -- Periodicals; Reproduction -- Periodicals; Child Psychology -- Periodicals; Women -- psychology -- Periodicals; 612.6
• DOI: 10.1080/02646838.2021.1916815
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0264-6838

Abstract

ABSTRACT: 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.