Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Pregnant and Postpartum Women: Where Is the Village?

Abstract

As the COVID-19 pandemic took hold of the United States, pregnant women and mothers of infants were among those most affected by fears of the virus, the disruption of health care systems, social isolation, and the collapse of social supports. This article describes how a group of psychoanalysts and psychoanalytic therapists in a community outreach initiative, the SPRING Project, worked to meet these mental health needs by providing affordable psychotherapy at this critical time. Two case reports highlight the ways the pandemic magnified postpartum distress as well as the relevance and efficacy of a psychodynamic clinical approach in resolving such distress. In addition, the author chronicles how early in the pandemic the SPRING Project launched support groups for pregnant women. Participants in this virtual village helped offset the painful isolation of these women and supported their emotional development during their pregnancies.