| dc.description.abstract | Methods: To pursue my research goals, I asked 32 participants to complete an online questionnaire on REDCap. I used the EPDS (Cox, 1987) and Pandemic Stress (Kujawa, 2020) measures in addition to my own qualitative questioning to inquire about stress, coping, and mood. I also conducted an in-depth interview with a therapist who gave birth during the early period of the pandemic.
Results: Pregnant women experienced the most stressors under the categories of general life disruptions and interpersonal stress. Additionally, people noted negative stressors to do with family dynamics, isolation, work, and more general COVID-19 fears and anxiety. Positives for some pregnant women included additional family time, partner support, and working from home. Pandemic-related stress was not significantly associated with higher depression symptoms.
Conclusions: By understanding womens’ experiences, holistic resources and care techniques can be implemented to support pregnant women during these unsettling times and in future equally challenging periods. | en_US |
