Impact of COVID-19 restrictions on the postpartum experience of women living in Eastern Canada during the early pandemic period: A cross-sectional study

Objectives: To (1) compare changes in parenting self-efficacy, social support, postpartum anxiety, and postpartum depression in Canadian women before and during the early COVID-19 pandemic; (2) explore how women with a newborn felt during the pandemic; (3) explore ways that women coped with challenges faced.

Methods: A cross-sectional design was used. Prior to the pandemic, an online survey was conducted with women who an infant 6 months old or less in one of the three Eastern Canadian Maritime provinces. A similar survey was conducted during the pandemic in mid-2020.

Results: Pre-COVID, 561 women completed the survey, and 331 women during the pandemic. There were no significant differences in parenting self-efficacy, social support, postpartum anxiety, and depression between the cohorts. Difficulties that women reported because of COVID-19 restrictions included lack of support from family and friends, fear of COVID-19 exposure, feeling isolated and uncertain, negative impact on perinatal care experience, and hospital restrictions. Having support from partners and families, in-person/virtual support, as well as engaging in self-care and the low prevalence of COVID-19 during the summer of 2020 helped women cope.

Clinical relevance: Women identified challenges and negative impacts due to the COVID-19 pandemic, although no differences in psychosocial outcomes were found. Consideration of public health policy during the postpartum period for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is needed.

Conclusion: While there were no significant differences in psychosocial outcomes, there were still challenges and negative impacts that women identified.