Breastfeeding practices and mental health status of lactating mothers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Tapi district, Gujarat

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the levels of anxiety and depression among pregnant and breastfeeding women with major concerns regarding breastfeeding, infant and child health, access to healthcare, and social isolation. Hence the study aimed to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on breastfeeding patterns and the prevalence of post-partum depression and anxiety among lactating mothers in the Tapi district, Gujarat. This was a cross-sectional study among 250 lactating mothers who exclusively or partially breastfed a healthy infant aged 0–2 years. Data was collected from 3 hospitals in Vyara taluka, Tapi district - Gujarat using the pretested semi-structured questionnaire. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was used for screening postpartum depression/anxiety among the participants. A high prevalence of probable depression (61.2%) and anxiety (73.6%) was observed amongparticipants during the pandemic. Overall, 84% of mothers were practicing exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) while 16% reported related challenges. COVID-19-related health & safety (41.2%), concerns about breastfeeding (57.6%), and Infant health (84.8%) were reported as major worries among mothers. The breastfeeding experience during the pandemic was reported as moderately favorable. The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the mental health status of lactating mothers but fortunately, the EBF rates were high even during the pandemic. However, the study was unable to find a significant relationship between probable depression status and breastfeeding outcomes, which needs further supporting investigations.