2025 Volume 81 Issue 1.2 Pages 33-40
Background and objective : The limitation of visiting mothers, homecoming delivery, attending the deliveries, and childbirth preparing classes were affected to mothers in many hospitals. This study aimed to clarify the correlation between the condition of postnatal depression and level of labor and delivery support during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods : The women who gave birth at Anan Medical Center for 5 years, from May 2019 to May 2024, participated in our study. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) values were evaluated at their 2-week postpartum checkup. Results : The ratio of high EPDS(≧9 points) women to all subjects after attending the delivery was prohibited were 1.58 times increased compared to that before limitation of attending the delivery(9.8% versus 15.5%; odds ratio. 0.59 ; P value = 0.0097). Remarkably, among primiparas, the ratio of high EPDS women is larger than that before attending the delivery was prohibited. On the other hand, among multiparas, there was no significant deference between before and after limitation of attending the delivery. Conclusion : Decline of labor and delivery support can have a great influence on primiparas. Especially, family attending the delivery may give emotional support to mother during childbirth. Primiparas tend to fall into a postnatal depression, so they need to be carefully observed under decline of labor and delivery support. Pediatricians should play a role of supporting maternal and children’s health such as perinatal visit, medical checkup and vaccinations for babies.