The psychological aftermath of an emerging infection affecting pregnant women: is monkeypox to blame?

Abstract

Introduction: As the world grapples with life changed by the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, emerging infections with consequential public health threats continue to be invariably reported in various regions of the world. A clear example is the most recent global monkeypox outbreak which was declared a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern” (PHEIC) by the World Health Organization (WHO) on July 23rd, 2022 (World Health Organization 2022). To date, this unprecedented outbreak has resulted in 60,799 laboratory-confirmed cases from over 95 non-endemic countries, and although viral genomic surveillance has observed several monkeypox strains, few deaths have been documented thus far (CDC 2022). Despite the favorable clinical outcomes of this disease, epidemiological data suggest that community-sustained transmission of monkeypox infections has the potential to adversely affect high-risk populations, especially immunocompromised individuals and particularly pregnant women (Vouga et al. 2022). This concern is eminently presented by available clinical evidence surrounding monkeypox in pregnancy which supports the likelihood of increased obstetric complications such as intrauterine fetal demise, increased risk of congenital infections, preterm birth, miscarriage, and ominous maternal reactions (Dashraath et al. 2022). The heightened risk of vertical transmission of this virus coupled with a notable absence of case-specific and national management guidelines is negatively impacting the psychological state of pregnant women worldwide (Medscape 2022). This recent public health emergency calls for a unified action plan toward better understanding the mental health consequences of another future global crisis. Intensified efforts are especially important as maternal mental health research is a valuable yet understudied aspect of public health research.