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The Impact of Maternal Prenatal Stress Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic during the First 1000 Days: A Historical Perspective

Author

Listed:
  • Sam Schoenmakers

    (Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Division of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands)

  • E. J. (Joanne) Verweij

    (Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Division of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
    Department of Obstetrics, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands)

  • Roseriet Beijers

    (Social Development, Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, 6525 XZ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
    Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands)

  • Hilmar H. Bijma

    (Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Division of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands)

  • Jasper V. Been

    (Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Division of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
    Department of Paediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Erasmus MC Sophia Children’s Hospital, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
    Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands)

  • Régine P. M. Steegers-Theunissen

    (Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Division of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands)

  • Marion P. G. Koopmans

    (Department of Viroscience, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands)

  • Irwin K. M. Reiss

    (Department of Paediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Erasmus MC Sophia Children’s Hospital, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands)

  • Eric A. P. Steegers

    (Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Division of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has a major impact on society, particularly affecting its vulnerable members, including pregnant women and their unborn children. Pregnant mothers reported fear of infection, fear of vertical transmission, fear of poor birth and child outcomes, social isolation, uncertainty about their partner’s presence during medical appointments and delivery, increased domestic abuse, and other collateral damage, including vaccine hesitancy. Accordingly, pregnant women’s known vulnerability for mental health problems has become a concern during the COVID-19 pandemic, also because of the known effects of prenatal stress for the unborn child. The current narrative review provides a historical overview of transgenerational effects of exposure to disasters during pregnancy, and the role of maternal prenatal stress. We place these effects into the perspective of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hereby, we aim to draw attention to the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on women of reproductive age (15–49 year) and its potential associated short-term and long-term consequences for the health of children who are conceived, carried, and born during this pandemic. Timely detection and intervention during the first 1000 days is essential to reduce the burden of transgenerational effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Suggested Citation

  • Sam Schoenmakers & E. J. (Joanne) Verweij & Roseriet Beijers & Hilmar H. Bijma & Jasper V. Been & Régine P. M. Steegers-Theunissen & Marion P. G. Koopmans & Irwin K. M. Reiss & Eric A. P. Steegers, 2022. "The Impact of Maternal Prenatal Stress Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic during the First 1000 Days: A Historical Perspective," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(8), pages 1-23, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:8:p:4710-:d:793241
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Zoran Laurentiu Popa & Madalin-Marius Margan & Izabella Petre & Elena Bernad & Lavinia Stelea & Veronica Daniela Chiriac & Marius Craina & Ioana Mihaela Ciuca & Anca Mihaela Bina, 2022. "A Cross-Sectional Study of the Marital Attitudes of Pregnant Women at Risk for Cystic Fibrosis and Psychological Impact of Prenatal Screening," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-14, July.
    2. Sandra Simó & Juanita Cajiao-Nieto & Natalia V. Awad-Sirhan & Rafael A. Caparros-Gonzalez, 2022. "Pregnancy-Specific Stress during the First Lockdown of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Assessing Face-to-Face versus Online Recruitment," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-12, October.
    3. Lobel, Marci & Preis, Heidi & Mahaffey, Brittain & Schaal, Nora K. & Yirmiya, Karen & Atzil, Shir & Reuveni, Inbal & Balestrieri, Matteo & Penengo, Chiara & Colli, Chiara & Garzitto, Marco & Driul, Lo, 2022. "Common model of stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms in pregnant women from seven high-income Western countries at the COVID-19 pandemic onset," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 315(C).

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