A recent study published in the Archives of Women's Mental Health has revealed a notable increase in benzodiazepine prescriptions among privately insured postpartum women in the United States, despite no significant rise in diagnoses of anxiety and depression following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The research, led by Grace Bagwell Adams, Ph.D., from the University of Georgia, analyzed data from a retrospective pooled cross-sectional study covering the period from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2020. The study examined trends in the diagnosis and treatment of postpartum mood disorders using U.S. claims data, focusing on privately insured women.

Contrary to expectations, the study found that the rates of diagnosed anxiety and depression among postpartum women did not significantly increase after the pandemic began in March 2020. However, there was a 15.2 percent rise in the proportion of women filling benzodiazepine prescriptions, medications commonly prescribed to treat anxiety.

“Given the prevalence of perinatal and postpartum mood disorders, and their impact on the mother’s long-term health, it is critical to monitor both diagnosis and prescribing patterns,” the study authors noted. They emphasized the importance of future research to determine whether the rise in benzodiazepine prescriptions will continue beyond the pandemic and to explore the reasons behind this trend.

The findings highlight the need for ongoing attention to the mental health care provided to postpartum women, particularly in understanding how treatment patterns may have shifted during and after the pandemic.