The Pregnancy during the Pandemic Study was one of the top news stories of 2020 at the University of Calgary. Thank you to all the parents who have made this research such a success. We are thrilled to be continuing to learn about you and your kiddos.

Last week, we had the pleasure of sharing some early findings from this study with Canada’s parliament to encourage politicians to take action to support pregnant individuals and families. We continue to work with policy makers and health care providers to improve prenatal and family care within Canada.

Our study was featured on Panel 2: Population Psychosocial Effects Related to COVID-19.

Dr. Lebel spoke with National Geographic about our study and the potential consequences of COVID-19 on the mental health of pregnant individuals and their children. Long term consequences include physiological changes in developing babies and potentially higher rates of depression and anxiety in future generations.

The Pregnancy During the Pandemic study was featured in a New York Times article about the rising ‘mental health crisis’ for parents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our study results indicate that there has been an increase in clinically significant levels of depression and anxiety among pregnant individuals. The article also encourages parents to find techniques such as therapy or exercise to improve mental health.

Dr. Giesbrecht was featured on the Owerko Centre Presents Podcast where he discussed the Pregnancy During the Pandemic study and its implications, including stress levels of pregnant individuals and the health of expecting mothers and infants.

A recent article from Global News features results from our study that indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought families closer together.