Addressing the role of COVID-19 pandemic-induced Mental Health Problems on the Emergence of suicide among Pregnant Women, Egypt: A case-control study”

Abstract

<title>Abstract</title> Background Before the emergence of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the research reported that pregnancy is associated with increased suicide risk. However, data regarding the impact of COVID-19 on suicidal risk is not conclusive, and most of the studies are derived from Western countries. This study aimed to identify the suicidal risk and clinical correlates among pregnant women in Egypt during the COVID-19 crisis. A case-control study design was used in this study and included 245 pregnant women, and an equal number of non-pregnant women served as the control group. Pregnant participants were recruited from the Outpatient Departments (OPD) attending antenatal care services within the Obstetrics and Gynecology clinic at Zagazig University Hospital (ZUH) in Sharkia, Egypt. The control group consisted of non-pregnant relatives accompanying the pregnant participants. Data were collected through interviews using a semi-structured questionnaire to gather sociodemographic and clinical information, along with the administration of the following scales: Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), and Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSS). Results It indicated that the pregnant group had higher levels of anxiety, depression, and stress compared to the control group. Moderate to severe symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms (PTSS) were found in 18.1% of the pregnant women, compared to 12.2% in the non-pregnant group. Additionally, the pregnant group had a significantly higher mean total score on the BSS. Predictive factors for suicidal tendencies in the pregnant group included living in urban areas, a family history of suicide, changes in the employment status of the participants or their spouses, PTSS, and experiencing inter-partner violence (IPV) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the mental well-being of pregnant women and increased the risk of suicide. Experiencing changes in employment status, particularly the husband, PTSS, and exposure to IPV are the most significant predictors of suicide during the COVID-19 crisis.