Substance use and mental health in pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic
Crystal Lederhos Smith, Sara F. Waters, Danielle Spellacy, Ekaterina Burduli, Olivia Brooks, Cara L. Carty, Samantha Ranjo, Sterling McPherson, Celestina Barbosa‐Leiker
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: We examined the prevalence of substance use as a coping mechanism and identified relationships between maternal mental health over time and use of substances to cope during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic among pregnant women in the U.S.A. METHODS: Self-reported repeated measures from 83 pregnant women were collected online in April 2020 and May 2020. Women retrospectively reported their mental/emotional health before the pandemic, as well as depression, stress, and substance use as a result of the pandemic at both time points. Linear regression measured cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between mental health and substance use. RESULTS: .05). CONCLUSION: Pregnant women's psychological well-being may be a readily measured indicator substance use risk during crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Interventions addressing increased stress and depression may also mitigate the emergence of greater substance use among pregnant women.