Q: I am pregnant and am worried about my delivery and my mental health. Where can I turn?
A: #YouAreNotAlone. More than 20% of new mothers experience a perinatal mood and/or anxiety disorder.
Increasing evidence from top journals such as @TheLancet are telling us that the effects of #COVID19-#Isolation policies are influencing our mental health, regardless of whether we had any mental health issues prior to this crisis.
Vulnerable groups, like pregnant women, are particularly impacted. The good news is that there are many resources out there to support you at this time.
-The @BloomFoundation offers peer support for mothers (thebloomfoundation.org).
-The #COVIDー19 Maternal Well-Being Facebook group started by Dr. @PoojaLakshmin offers evidence-based information about pregnancy and the postpartum period during the pandemic (facebook.com/groups/2492372….
- @PostpartumHelp offers free support groups and helps you connect to local providers (postpartum.net, 1-800-944-4773).
-And finally, the Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Women’s Mental Health provides excellent news and resources (womensmentalhealth.org).
For questions on specific policies around labor and birth, the best way to find information is to contact the facility where you plan to give birth. If you are considering a home birth, speak to your provider, as professional consensus points to risks to consider for home birth.
Most importantly, know that ensuring the health of you and your baby is important, and seeking mental health care is just as important as your physical health care. #MentalHealthMatters
1/ Q: Has almost everyone been infected with COVID by now?
A: Recent estimates suggest around 58% of the population in the US and over 70% in England have been previously infected, with BIG increases during the Omicron wave.
3/ ➡️ During the Omicron wave from December 2021-February 2022, this estimate increased from 33% to 58%.
➡️ Rates vary a lot by age, ranging from 33.2% for those over age 65 to 75% for those under age 18.
2/ Not likely. If your kids are suddenly getting sick a lot, this is likely due to “catching up” on exposures rather than a weakened immune system.
3/ Many families w/ young kids have been hunkered down for the better part of 2 years– a good % of a young child’s entire life. While isolation had *many* downsides, we can agree that not having to suction snot out of infant noses or clean up norovirus puke was a happy upside.
1/ Q: Are cases peaking? That means it’s all downhill from here, right?
A: Sort of…. Remember that even if cases come down as quickly as they rise, there will be as many cases *after* the peak as before (think area under the curve).
2/ ➡️ And if the downward slope is *slower* than the rise, we will see *more* cases during the decline from a surge.
3/ Burning fast could be a silver lining of super transmissible #Omicron. Cases rose & fell quickly in S. Africa (w/ hospitalizations & deaths still lagging). The UK appears to have turned the Omicron corner. Many US states appear past their peak in cases, w/ regional variation:
Unfortunately, this includes New Year’s Eve plans. The perfect storm of a new variant & holiday get-togethers is hitting communities & health care w/ FORCE! Testing is in short supply.
3/ Health care is under extreme pressure with surging cases. If you can avoid even one additional contact, you are helping. This is a temporary and urgent request (from a health care provider).