Motherhood shaped by the pandemic: Do pandemic-related anxiety and obsession play a role in postpartum parenting behavior?

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to examine the impact of COVID-19 pandemic-related anxiety and obsessive thoughts on parenting behaviors during the postpartum period.
METHODS: A descriptive, cross-sectional design was employed, including 300 postpartum women, to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic anxiety and obsession on parenting behaviors. Data were collected between June and December 2020 at a tertiary hospital in the Marmara region of Türkiye. Instruments included a sociodemographic information form, the COVID-19 Anxiety Scale (CAS), the Obsession with COVID-19 Scale (OCS), and the Postpartum Parenting Behavior Scale (PPBS).
RESULTS: Participants’ mean age was 29.3±5.8 years, with an average marriage duration of 6.9±5.3 years. Over half (58%) reported that giving birth during the COVID-19 pandemic had a negative psychological impact. Statistical analyses revealed a significant interaction effect between CAS and OCS on PPBS scores (p=0.015).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that postpartum parenting behaviors are shaped by the complex interaction between COVID-19-related anxiety and obsessive thoughts. These psychological constructs should be understood not as isolated factors but as interrelated processes that collectively influence maternal behavioral outcomes during the postpartum period. To better understand these dynamics, future studies employing longitudinal and intervention-based designs are recommended to reveal causal pathways and underlying mechanisms. In addition, even in the post-pandemic context, the development and implementation of targeted mental health interventions for postpartum women remain essential public health priorities.