Psychological intervention in Pandemic Related Pregnancy Stress among women pregnant during COVID-19: An Experience from South Kashmir, India

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Pregnancy the most challenging period of women’s lives were greatly hit by the Coronavirus pandemic and lockdown implemented to curtail the spread of infection in the community has also affected antenatal care. The present study was aimed to find out the effectiveness of mental health education programmes in pandemic related pregnancy stress among women pregnant during COVID-19. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A combination of descriptive and experimental research design was used. The stress related to COVID 19 was measured using the Pandemic-Related Pregnancy Stress Scale (PREPS) in 123 pregnant females. The compact mental health education intervention programme specially designed for COVID-19 was administered in the experimental group of 61 pregnant females. The stress levels were compared with 61 pregnant females of the control group who were not exposed to the mental health education programme. The results were compared and evaluated for the effectiveness of mental health education programmes in combating the stress during this pandemic. The programme was reintroduced during the second COVID-19 wave and results were accordingly analysed. RESULTS: From the study, we found there exists a significant difference in the COVID 19 pandemic related pregnancy stress between control and experimental groups. The mean scores of PREPS preparedness of the experimental group before and after the intervention was 3.36±0.89 and 1.25±0.81 respectively. A t-value of 12.38 was found which is statistically significant at a CI of 95% (1.77 to 2.44). Similarly, the mean score of PREPS infection of experimental group before and after the intervention was 3.36±0.91 and 1.28±0.71 and for PREPS positive appraisal of the experimental group before and after the intervention was 1.27±0.90 and 3.34±11.58 respectively The t-value of 11.58 was found which is statistically significant at CI of 95% (-2,42 to -1.71). However, in control the mean scores for PREPS subscales before and after were almost the same (3.34±0.71 and 3.34±0.71, 4.04±0.91 and 3.94±0.80, 2.27±0.90 and 2.01±0.80). The t-values were statistically insignificant. Therefore from the results, we conclude that in both the experimental and control group the PREPS subscale scores were higher before intervention and reduced to significant levels after intervention in the experimental group however, there was no significant change in stress levels in the control group who were not exposed to the intervention programme. There was also a significant improvement in positive appraisal in pregnant females who received mental health education. Similar results were found during the second COVID-19 wave. CONCLUSION: Pandemic related pregnancy stress had increased and can be of unfavourable consequences regarding mother and infants health. Therefore, early intervention to improve self-care and motivate women to approach the self in a way that entails inculcating and exercising things that inevitably enhance physical and mental health. At the same time refraining from the contrary thereby dispensing with professional medical help will eventually improve the overall mental health of pregnant females.