J Clin Gynecol Obstet

Journal of Clinical Gynecology and Obstetrics, ISSN 1927-1271 print, 1927-128X online, Open Access

Article copyright, the authors; Journal compilation copyright, J Clin Gynecol Obstet and Elmer Press Inc

Journal website https://www.jcgo.org

Original Article

Volume 11, Number 4, December 2022, pages 101-107

How the COVID-19 Pandemic Changed a New Mother’s Sense of Loneliness, and Who Was Key to Helping Them Through It

Figure 1. Changes in mother’s sense of loneliness before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our study showed that 58.6% of the mothers surveyed felt lonely more often during the pandemic than before the pandemic (before January 2020); 41.4% did not. 45.0% of respondents had felt lonely within the past 30 days; 55.0% had not. The percentage of mothers who felt lonely has recently decreased. COVID-19: coronavirus disease 2019.

**Table 1.** Characteristics of the Responders
Responder characteristics
Subjects	5,689
Age (years)	32.0 ± 4.4 (18 - 48)
Number of children	1.0 ± 0.7 (1 - 4)
Education
Junior or high school	903 (15.9%)
Junior or technical college	1,800 (31.6%)
University	2,793 (49.1%)
Graduate school	175 (3.1%)
Other	18 (0.3%)
Employment status
Company employee (other)	2,986 (52.5%)
Self-employed business	119 (2.1%)
Part-time staff	709 (12.5%)
Student	2 (0.0%)
Stay-at-home mom	726 (12.8%)
Unknown	1,147 (20.1%)
Resident area
Hokkaido	221 (3.9%)
Touhoku	322 (5.7%)
Kanto	1,708 (30.0%)
Chubu	1,112 (19.5%)
Kinki	1,200 (21.1%)
Chugoku	396 (7.0%)
Sikoku	150 (2.6%)
Kyushu	580 (10.2%)

Table 1. Characteristics of the Responders

Responder characteristics

Subjects

5,689

Age (years)

32.0 ± 4.4 (18 - 48)

Number of children

1.0 ± 0.7 (1 - 4)

Education

Junior or high school

903 (15.9%)

Junior or technical college

1,800 (31.6%)

University

2,793 (49.1%)

Graduate school

175 (3.1%)

Other

18 (0.3%)

Employment status

Company employee (other)

2,986 (52.5%)

Self-employed business

119 (2.1%)

Part-time staff

709 (12.5%)

Student

2 (0.0%)

Stay-at-home mom

726 (12.8%)

Unknown

1,147 (20.1%)

Resident area

Hokkaido

221 (3.9%)

Touhoku

322 (5.7%)

Kanto

1,708 (30.0%)

Chubu

1,112 (19.5%)

Kinki

1,200 (21.1%)

Chugoku

396 (7.0%)

Sikoku

150 (2.6%)

Kyushu

580 (10.2%)

**Table 2.** Factors Influencing the Mother’s Loneliness
Covariate	Odds ratio	95% CI	P value
COVID-19: coronavirus disease 2019; CI: confidence interval.
Aged 40 or more	0.80	0.61 to 1.05	0.10
First-born baby	1.10	0.98 to 1.24	0.11
Worker	0.88	0.76 to 0.99	0.028
Gave up childrearing to parent’s place	0.98	0.87 to 1.11	0.77
No help for first month after childbearing	1.22	1.06 to 1.42	0.0068
Living with partner	0.94	0.77 to 1.13	0.50
COVID-19 anxiety	1.00	0.83 to 1.21	0.97
Childrearing anxiety	2.26	2.00 to 2.55	< 0.0001
Economic anxiety	1.54	1.37 to 1.74	< 0.0001
No family response to her feelings	2.04	1.67 to 2.49	< 0.0001
No family support	1.53	1.09 to 2.14	0.013
Nobody to consult with	2.66	1.42 to 5.00	0.0024
No opportunities to consult	2.23	1.98 to 2.52	< 0.0001
Refrained from consulting pediatric clinic	1.27	1.15 to 1.41	< 0.0001
Refrained from baby screening	1.23	0.97 to 1.54	0.083

Table 2. Factors Influencing the Mother’s Loneliness

Covariate

Odds ratio

95% CI

P value

COVID-19: coronavirus disease 2019; CI: confidence interval.

Aged 40 or more

0.80

0.61 to 1.05

0.10

First-born baby

1.10

0.98 to 1.24

0.11

Worker

0.88

0.76 to 0.99

0.028

Gave up childrearing to parent’s place

0.98

0.87 to 1.11

0.77

No help for first month after childbearing

1.22

1.06 to 1.42

0.0068

Living with partner

0.94

0.77 to 1.13

0.50

COVID-19 anxiety

1.00

0.83 to 1.21

0.97

Childrearing anxiety

2.26

2.00 to 2.55

< 0.0001

Economic anxiety

1.54

1.37 to 1.74

< 0.0001

No family response to her feelings

2.04

1.67 to 2.49

< 0.0001

No family support

1.53

1.09 to 2.14

0.013

Nobody to consult with

2.66

1.42 to 5.00

0.0024

No opportunities to consult

2.23

1.98 to 2.52

< 0.0001

Refrained from consulting pediatric clinic

1.27

1.15 to 1.41

< 0.0001

Refrained from baby screening

1.23

0.97 to 1.54

0.083

**Table 3.** Advisers Influencing the Mother’s Loneliness
Covariate	Odds ratio	95% CI	P value
CI: confidence interval.
Husband	0.68	0.56 to 0.81	< 0.0001
Mother	0.72	0.62 to 0.84	< 0.0001
Father	0.78	0.70 to 0.88	0.0001
Brothers and sisters	0.86	0.76 to 0.96	0.0076
Mother-in-law	0.84	0.70 to 0.97	0.018
Father-in-law	0.87	0.76 to 1.08	0.20
Brothers- and sisters-in-law	0.86	0.69 to 1.06	0.16
Other relatives	1.09	0.93 to 1.28	0.27
Neighborhood friends	0.68	0.60 to 0.76	< 0.0001
Distant friends	0.97	0.86 to 1.09	0.59
Alumni	0.94	0.82 to 1.06	0.29
Colleagues	0.69	0.60 to 0.80	< 0.0001

Table 3. Advisers Influencing the Mother’s Loneliness

Covariate

Odds ratio

95% CI

P value

CI: confidence interval.

Husband

0.68

0.56 to 0.81

< 0.0001

Mother

0.72

0.62 to 0.84

< 0.0001

Father

0.78

0.70 to 0.88

0.0001

Brothers and sisters

0.86

0.76 to 0.96

0.0076

Mother-in-law

0.84

0.70 to 0.97

0.018

Father-in-law

0.87

0.76 to 1.08

0.20

Brothers- and sisters-in-law

0.86

0.69 to 1.06

0.16

Other relatives

1.09

0.93 to 1.28

0.27

Neighborhood friends

0.68

0.60 to 0.76

< 0.0001

Distant friends

0.97

0.86 to 1.09

0.59

Alumni

0.94

0.82 to 1.06

0.29

Colleagues

0.69

0.60 to 0.80

< 0.0001