ABSTRACT
Background The evidence for associations of mental health with COVID-19 pandemic severity is scarce in postpartum women. We aimed to investigate the associations of postpartum depressive symptoms (PDS), perceived social support (PSS) with COVID-19 pandemic severity, respectively, and to explore the associations between PSS and PDS under different pandemic severities.Methods This was a nationwide multicenter study. An online survey was launched from January 23 through February 29, 2020 in mainland China. Participants’ PDS and PSS were measured by Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, respectively.Results The final sample consisted of 452 participants from 19 hospitals in 19 provinces/municipalities of mainland China. After covariate adjustment, women in Hubei Province experienced higher PDS levels than those in moderate (β coefficient = − 3.883, p = 0.001) and high (β coefficient = − 3.760, p = 0.005) pandemic severity; women in moderate pandemic severity reported higher PSS levels not only than those in high (β coefficient = − 4.947, p = 0.008) pandemic severity and Hubei Province (β coefficient = − 6.480, p = 0.049), but also than low (β coefficient = − 7.428, p = 0.005) pandemic severity. Also, no significant associations were found between PSS and pandemic severity for women with moderate-to-severe PDS (p > 0.05). There were significantly negative associations between PSS and PDS for women under low (OR = 0.837, p = 0.039), moderate (OR = 0.919, p < 0.001), and high (OR = 0.951, p = 0.012) pandemic severity, and no significant association between PSS and PDS was observed in Hubei Province after covariate adjustment (p > 0.05).Conclusion Women in Hubei Province experienced higher PDS levels than those in moderate and high pandemic severity. Women in moderate pandemic severity reported higher PSS levels not only than those in high pandemic severity and Hubei Province, but also than low pandemic severity, and no associations were found between PSS and pandemic severity for women with moderate-to-severe PDS. There were negative associations between PSS and PDS for women in low, moderate and high pandemic severity, but no association between PSS and PDS of women in Hubei Province.