PREGNANCY IN TIMES OF PANDEMIC: A LOOK AT MENTAL HEALTH BEFORE AND DURING THE PANDEMIC

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Pregnancy is a stage of physiological, psychological, personal, and social changes for women. The role of the emotional and psychological aspect covers the entire period because as fetal development progresses, the mother-baby relationship is strengthened, making the mother vulnerable. Objectives: Collect, describe and analyze relevant information on mental health in pregnant women, both at different stages of pregnancy and before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A literature search was carried out through PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scielo using terminology compiled from MeSH and DeCs. Results: Pregnancy due to hormonal changes causes the presence of anxiety and feelings of depression that worsen as the stages of fetal development progress. These psychological disorders have greatly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic due to various reasons such as the relationship with a partner, uncertainty, fear, anguish, and growing phobia of contagion. Conclusion: Pregnant women are a vulnerable population whose mental health has always been affected and more than ever due to the pandemic, so they need better care in the health sector, such as providing reliable information on preventive measures to alleviate the burden of stressors, as they bear the burden of their health distress and that of the fetus.