Adverse maternal perinatal mental health can negatively influence
infants’ psychological wellbeing. Economic concerns, reduced access to
perinatal service, decreased levels of social support and a previous mental
health diagnosis are risk factors for poor perinatal mental health. The COVID-19
pandemic posed an additional stressor for perinatal women. Until now, no
systematic review has explored how periods of COVID-19 lockdown impacted women’s perinatal mental health. This systematic review searched for literature published between 1 January 2020 and 25 May 2021 on the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on perinatal maternal mental health across six electronic databases. Quantitative, peer-reviewed, cross-sectional studies published in English were included. Data were narratively synthesised. Sixteen
articles were included in the final review. COVID-19 lockdowns negatively
impacted perinatal mental health. In addition to previously acknowledged
risk factors for poor perinatal mental health, this review highlighted potential
areas for low-cost preventative formal interventions to support perinatal
women. Resources integrating informal sources of support may aid perinatal women when normal routine is challenged and may mediate
potential long-term impacts of poor perinatal maternal health on infants.