Mental health of iranian pregnant women during pandemic of COVID-19: A systematic review

Abstract

Background: An evaluation of Iranian pregnant women's mental health during the COVID-19 outbreak is an ignored issue. The current study aimed to investigate the mental health of Iranian pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: Literature searching was conducted, and studies were published from 01 March 2020 to 30 June 2022 on PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, SID, and Magiran screened for the relevant articles. Results: There was a total of 10 studies included in this systematic review. In the present study, the prevalence of moderate to the high level of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms was 40%, 19 to 74%, and 70%, respectively. There were some protective factors such as physical activity, social support, using progressive relaxation, and husbands' involvement in caring behaviours of their pregnant wives that can enhance the mental health of Iranian pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions: Regarding the high prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress among Iranian pregnant women during the current pandemic, the mental health status of pregnant women should be regularly evaluated and essential educational and interventional programs should be provided for this population.

Keywords

• covid-19
• mental health
• pregnant women