{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,26]],"date-time":"2025-12-26T01:23:24Z","timestamp":1766712204203,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":23,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,22]],"date-time":"2025-01-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1737504000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Collaborative Research in Health Disparities (CCRHD)","award":["U54 MD007600","P42ES017198","ECHO UG3OD02351"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["U54 MD007600","P42ES017198","ECHO UG3OD02351"]}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/100006545","name":"National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["U54 MD007600","P42ES017198","ECHO UG3OD02351"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["U54 MD007600","P42ES017198","ECHO UG3OD02351"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100006545","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/100000066","name":"National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["U54 MD007600","P42ES017198","ECHO UG3OD02351"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["U54 MD007600","P42ES017198","ECHO UG3OD02351"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100000066","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJERPH"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: The COVID-19 pandemic affected access to healthcare and social support. This especially impacted vulnerable populations like pregnant and postpartum women. Purpose: The specific aims of the project are the following: (1) examine the impact of COVID-19 on pregnancy experiences and outcomes; (2) examine the mental health impact of COVID-19 in pregnant women and mothers of children 12 months or younger; (3) identify risk and protective factors among this population in Puerto Rico. Methods: Participants were recruited from the Puerto Rico Testsite for Exploring Contamination Threats (PROTECT) cohort, which is composed of pregnant women and mothers from the northern karst region of Puerto Rico. This research has a mixed methods approach with a quantitative survey (n = 184) and qualitative interviews (n = 10); data collection was performed remotely. Findings: Results from the survey (n = 184) show that 20% of the cohort gave birth alone, 39% were separated from their baby after birth, 21% experienced isolation before birth, and 20% were separated after birth. In the study, 54% of the women were very worried about giving COVID-19 to their baby and avoided going out, receiving visits, and even canceling baby showers. The most reported sources of stress were their health status, work situation, and childcare, while the most reported coping mechanisms were watching TV or playing video games, using social media, and talking with loved ones. Forty-two percent reported that they frequently stopped enjoying activities that used to make them happy, and only 21% considered seeking mental health support. Conclusion: COVID-19 restrictions changed initial plans for baby showers, births, and childcare, and impacted the participants\u2019 mental health. Physical distance measures have resulted in isolation and stress. We expect these findings to lead to developing interventions for community health centers and parents\/caretakers in Puerto Rico.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph22020141","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,22]],"date-time":"2025-01-22T05:50:53Z","timestamp":1737525053000},"page":"141","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["The Impact of COVID-19 on Maternal Health: Quantitative Data Related to Risk and Protective Factors Among Pregnant and Postpartum Women in Puerto Rico"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"22","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5647-975X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Irene","family":"Lafarga Previdi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Collaborative Research in Health Disparities, UPR Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan 00921, Puerto Rico"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Nobel","family":"Hern\u00e1ndez Otero","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan 00921, Puerto Rico"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ana","family":"Guzzi Vasques","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Collaborative Research in Health Disparities, UPR Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan 00921, Puerto Rico"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ishwara","family":"Ayala","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"G\u00e9nesis","family":"Alvelo Col\u00f3n","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan 00921, Puerto Rico"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Natacha","family":"Guilloty","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Jessica","family":"Medina","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0000-8767-3483","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marielane","family":"Cancel-Garcia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan 00921, Puerto Rico"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Jos\u00e9","family":"Cordero","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Public Health, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Akram N.","family":"Alshawabkeh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Carmen","family":"V\u00e9lez Vega","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Collaborative Research in Health Disparities, UPR Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan 00921, Puerto Rico"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,22]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"World Health Organization (2022). 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