AUTHOR=Jackson Leanne , Greenfield Mari , Payne Elana , Burgess Karen , Oza Munira , Storey Claire , Davies Siân M. , De Backer Kaat , Kent-Nye Flora E. , Pilav Sabrina , Worrall Semra , Bridle Laura , Khazaezadeh Nina , Rajasingam Daghni , Carson Lauren E. , De Pascalis Leonardo , Fallon Victoria , Hartley Julie M. , Montgomery Elsa , Newburn Mary , Wilson Claire A. , Harrold Joanne A. , Howard Louise M. , Sandall Jane , Magee Laura A. , Sheen Kayleigh S. , Silverio Sergio A. 

TITLE=A consensus statement on perinatal mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic and recommendations for post-pandemic recovery and re-build

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Global Women's Health

VOLUME=Volume 5 - 2024

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/global-womens-health/articles/10.3389/fgwh.2024.1347388

DOI=10.3389/fgwh.2024.1347388

ISSN=2673-5059

ABSTRACT=The COVID-19 pandemic posed a significant lifecourse rupture, not least to those who had specific physical vulnerabilities to the virus, but also to those who were suffering with mental ill health. Women and birthing people who were pregnant, experienced a perinatal bereavement, or were in the first postpartum year (i.e. perinatal), were exposed to a number of risk factors for mental ill health, including alterations to the way in which their perinatal care was delivered.Methods: A consensus statement was derived from a cross-disciplinary collaboration of experts, whereby evidence from collaborative work into perinatal mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic was synthesised, and priorities were established as recommendations for research, healthcare practice, and policy.The synthesis of research focused on the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on perinatal health outcomes and care practices led to three immediate recommendations: what to retain, what to reinstate, and what to remove from perinatal mental healthcare provision. Longer-term recommendations for action were also made, categorised as follows: Equity and Relational