Dr. Lianne Tomfohr-Madsen was featured on the COVIDcast Podcast to discuss the importance of getting proper sleep, especially in stressful times, and what people can do if sleep is an issue for them.
COVIDcast is a podcast by the University of Calgary that shares information from leading experts on the medicine, science and community considerations that surround the coronavirus pandemic.
To listen to Episode 23: The Importance of Sleep, click here!
The article includes discussion on how increased parental anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic can affect children and some small steps that can be taken to improve your mental health as a parent. Written by Leslie E. Roos and Lianne Tomfohr-Madsen in The Conversation! Click the link to read the full article.
This week we are featuring a study that investigated patient satisfaction with virtual based prenatal care during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The study found that overall, women were either extremely or moderately satisfied with their virtual prenatal experiences. However, almost 90% indicated a preference for in-person care under non-pandemic conditions.
Read the full article here.
A recent publication co-authored by Dr. Lianne Tomfohr-Madsen found that brief sessions of guided mindfulness meditation during COVID-19 may boost positive affect and serve as a protective buffer against the negative impact of exposure to COVID-19-related news on affective well-being.
The findings from this study highlight the utility of mindfulness meditation as an accessible and cost-effective technique to elevate positive affect amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read the full article here.
A recent paper by Dr. Anna MacKinnon found that Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Perinatal Depression (MBCT-PD) was associated with improved overall distress. MBCT-PD has the potential to reduce the risk of preterm birth by targeting and reducing high levels of pregnancy anxiety during early gestation.
Read the full article here.
Dr. Anna MacKinnon was featured on the Treebark Podcast from Treehouse Medical. She discussed the impact of COVID-19 on perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, and the findings from the Pregnancy during the Pandemic Study.
Click here to listen to the podcast episode.
Congratulations to our postdoc, Dr. Anna MacKinnon for being awarded a Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship for her research on "Breaking the Cycle of Intergenerational Trauma: Development and Evaluation of the embrACE Parenting Program."
Click here to see the 2020-2021 Banting Postdoctoral Researchers.
A recently published paper on digital cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia during pregnancy found that modifying insomnia therapy to better address the changing needs of pregnant women may improve sleep and perinatal insomnia.
Read more here.
A recently published paper from the Pregnancy During the Pandemic study studied alcohol and substance use in pregnancy during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study found that depression symptoms and pandemic-related financial difficulties were associated with more tobacco use, cannabis use, and substance co-use.
Read the full article here.
A recently published study in the Journal of Affective Disorders highlights the role of social support and cognitive appraisal as potential protective factors for maternal mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Click here to read the full article.