Covid-19 caused a “resounding increase” of the postpartum depressions. At the start of the pandemic, no one knew “what would happen” to pregnancies. In addition, access to the system was more restricted and, although all the reports were attended, many pregnant women they were unable to access the system normally. There was a “higher stress level”. Being confined, having to go to another place to give birth, giving birth with a mask wreaked havoc on pregnant women and increased postpartum depression in the first and second waves.
has explained Anna Suy, the head of the Obstetrics section of the Vall d’Hebron Hospital of Barcelona, in the presentation of the report ‘The gender dimension during the pandemic’ of Institute of Economics of Barcelona (IEB), dependent on the University of Barcelona (UB). In addition, Suy assures that, above all, women suffered more pregnant immigrants and those who had another minor dependent child.
Covid “more serious”
The IEB report analyzes the differences between men and women that the pandemic brought to light. Suy, however, emphasizes that obstetrics always remained face-to-face and that hospitals like yours, for example, maintained the presence of the mother’s companion inside the delivery rooms. “The covid affected us a lot because, although it is not more frequent in pregnant women, yes it is more serious said. He also remembered the summer of 2021, when there was a “avalanche” of pregnant women in the ucis”.
Related news
Paradoxically, the pandemic “brilliantly lowered the birth rate”. According to Suy, this is because people do not have children when they are afraid for their health or for the economy. Today in Spain the average age of mothers who have their first child is 33 years and there are many who exceed 40.
The Secretary of Public Health of Catalonia was also present at the presentation of the study, carmen heads, who has recalled that the pandemic It affected the poorest neighborhoods the most. And he stressed that the same thing happens with other diseases, such as obesity, which affects more the poorest areas.