**3. Results**

A total of 369 women were included in the study: 90 women who were hospitalized in the high-risk pregnancy units during the COVID-19 pandemic strict isolation period, and 279 women before the COVID-19 pandemic. The response rate of the study was 93.33%; 90 women were included in the study, 6 refused to complete the questionnaire.

EPDS questionnaires with missing data on ≥1 questions were excluded from the analysis of the total EPDS score (of EPDS ≥ 10), but were included in the comparison of responses to question 10, if this was not missing. A total of 19 questionnaires were excluded.

Table 1 summarizes maternal demographic and obstetric features of both groups. Mean maternal age was comparable between the groups, as was ethnicity and gravidity. Likewise, no significant differences were noted between the groups, in terms of fertility treatments, chronic illnesses, body mass index (BMI), bad obstetric history and indication for current hospitalization, such as suspected intra-uterine growth restriction. Rates of mood disorders were lower among pregnant women hospitalized during the COVID-19 pandemic, compared to pregnant women hospitalized before the COVID-19 pandemic.


**Table 1.** Demographic and obstetric characteristics of the study population.


\* Missing value: BMI: *n* = 25.

Table 2 describes the scores of the self-completed EDPS questions. No significant differences were noted between the two groups in any of the questions.

**Table 2.** Scores of the EDPS questions, among women hospitalized in the high-risk pregnancy units during and before the COVID-19 pandemic.



Maternal depression risk, as assessed by the total EPDS score, is presented in Table 3. Women hospitalized during the COVID-19 pandemic had a comparable risk of having depression, expressed by a high (≥10) EPDS score, compared to women hospitalized before the COVID-19 pandemic (25.0% vs. 29.0%, *p* = 0.498). Rates of positive suicidal ideations (according to question number 10 in the EPDS questionnaire) were comparable between the groups (8.6% vs. 5.0%, *p* = 0.221).

**Table 3.** Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) results among women hospitalized in the high-risk pregnancy units, during and before the COVID-19 pandemic.


Using a multivariable logistic regression model, controlling for maternal age, ethnicity and known mood disorder, women hospitalized during the COVID-19 pandemic had a comparable risk for depression, as compared to women hospitalized before the COVID-19 pandemic (adjusted OR 1.0, 95% CI 0.52–1.93, *p* = 0.985, Table 4). Another multivariable logistic regression model, controlling for maternal age, showed that women hospitalized during the COVID-19 pandemic had a comparable risk for suicidal ideation as compared to women hospitalized before the COVID-19 pandemic (adjusted OR 1.8, 95% CI 0.71–4.85, *p* = 0.203, Table 4).

**Table 4.** Multivariable logistic regression model for the association between timing of hospitalization and EDPS score ≥ 10.

