| Analysis Plan Description | Pregnancy is a vulnerable time for mental health problems. Depression and anxiety during the perinatal period affect 10-20% of pregnant women worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the entire world population, particularly pregnant women and new mothers. Increased prevalence of depression and anxiety difficulties in pregnant women have been reported since the start of the pandemic compared to pre-pandemic levels. Research shows that children of mothers who experienced mental health problems during pregnancy are at greater risk for subsequent mental health problems. What is lacking from the current literature are studies with a comparable nonpregnant sample with which to compare key outcomes. Therefore, this cross-sectional study aims to compare matched (by country, age group, income, children in the household, and date) pregnant and non-pregnant women worldwide to assess the mental health impacts (i.e., feeling anxious, depressed, isolated and frustrated) of the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19-related concerns (i.e., the impact of being infected on one’s health), and healthrelated behaviors (i.e., wearing a face mask, social distancing, working from home, and self-quarantining). |
