As we enter into the Fall of 2020, it is clear that we will be dealing with COVID-19 into the next year. We have learned so much about the novel coronavirus over the last six months, but it is still something most of us worry about. Even in the best of times, women who are pregnant tend to worry, and being in the midst of a pandemic doesn’t help. And when the world presents new threats and challenges, normal worries can grow into fear and anxiety.
We provided COVID-specific resources for women back in May of this year; however, most of those resources were more general and did not address the issues and vulnerabilities specific to women with histories of psychiatric illness.
A number of our colleagues at the Italian Marce Society have put together an excellent resource (translated into English) for our patients who are pregnant or postpartum which addresses many of the questions and concerns women may have as they enter into pregnancy and the postpartum period in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The guide includes very practical information on dealing with social isolation, sleep deprivation and self-care. It gives women a kind of roadmap, which is much needed in these times of uncertainty.
Italian Marce Pregnancy COVID Guide
Psychopathology of pregnancy and postpartum during the Covid-19 pandemic: a small guide (A. Bramante, V. Brenna, M. Mauri, M. Spinelli)