Study Results

Here we highlight findings from our study in easy-to-understand formats such as posters, videos, and infographics. Links to published scientific articles are also available.

Protocol for the Pregnancy During the Pandemic (PdP) Study

The Pregnancy During the Pandemic (PdP) study was designed to investigate the associations among exposure to objective hardship caused by the pandemic, perceived stress and psychological distress in Canadian pregnant individuals, and developmental outcomes in their offspring.

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Geographic distribution of study participants by postal code
(Click the image to enlarge it in a new tab)

Feature Publication

Making diversity visible: Collecting gender identity and sexual orientation data in perinatal research

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Publications

Click through the images below to open the infographic in a new tab for easier viewing.

COVID-19 and Child Development

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Pregnant people who face frequent and multiple types of discrimination are more likely to experience high levels of depression and anxiety

Symptoms of depression in mothers during pregnancy may impact early development in brain networks important for emotional regulation. However, longer infant sleep duration appeared to buffer these effects, suggesting that sleep may play a role in infant brain network development.

(Infographic to come soon)

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Prenatal Maternal Distress During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Associations With Infant Brain Connectivity

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Sleep and mental health in pregnancy during COVID-19: A parallel process growth model

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Fear of COVID-19, mental health, and pregnancy outcomes in the pregnancy during the COVID-19 pandemic study

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Alcohol and substance use in pregnancy during the COVID-19 pandemic

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Prenatal care disruptions and associations with maternal mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic

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Elevated depression and anxiety symptoms among pregnant individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic

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  1. Roos, L. E., Mackinnon, A. L., Xie, E. B., Simpson, K. M., Rioux, C., Reynolds, K. A., Giuliano, R. J., Harrington, J., Protudjer, J. L. P., Soderstrom, M., Sauer-Zavala, S., Giesbrecht, G. F., Lebel, C., Watts, D., Belows, M., Penner-Goeke, L., Freeman, M., & Tomfohr-Madsen, L. (2026). Treating maternal mental health problems with an app-based program: a randomized control trial of BEAM, for mothers of young children. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.https://doi.org/10.1037/ccp0001000

  2. Silang, K., Horn, S., Giesbrecht, G.F., Szeto, A., Exner-Cortens, D., Dewsnapp, K., Jung, J., Keys, E., Lebel, C., Tomfohr-Madsen, L. (2026). Perinatal depressive symptoms and child temperament at two years: The moderating role of child sleep duration. Journal of Affective Disorders, 392, 120253.

  3. Bobula, J., Côté, C. M., Cook, A., Hai, T., MacKinnon, A., Giuliano, R. J., Giesbrecht, G. F., Lebel, C., Tomfohr-Madsen, L., & Roos, L. E. (2026). Online assessment of emotional knowledge in toddlerhood: An exploratory report. Infant and Child Development

  4. Jaffer, A., Manning, K., Giesbrecht, G., Oberlander, T., Tomfohr-Madsen, L., & Lebel, C. Perinatal maternal distress and neurobehavioural development in toddlers. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience (submitted Sep 2025).

  5. Simpson, K. M., McHardy, R., Zhou, G., Levasseur-Puhach, S., Côté, C., Braun, M., Clement, F., MacKinnon, A. L., Nickel, N., Afifi, T. O., Giesbrecht, G.F., Giuliano, R., Katz, L., Kelly, L., Klassen, T., Lebel, C., Mushquash, A., Reynolds, K., Decaire, E., Mughal, W., Chartrand, F., Kloss, O., Hensel, J. M., Bolton, J., Unger, J. A., Archibald, M., Fisher, P., Pharazyn, A., Tomfohr-Madsen, L., & Roos, L. E. (2025). Building Emotional Awareness and Mental Health (BEAM): Study protocol for a hybrid implementation-effectiveness trial of the BEAM app-based program for parents of young children. BMC Psychiatry, 25(1), 567, https://doi-org.uml.idm.oclc.org/10.1186/s12888-025-06964-4.

  6. Di Paolo, A., Nichols, E., Tomfohr-Madsen, L., Giesbrecht, G.F., Manning, K., Lebel, C., Duerden, E. (2025). The association between prenatal maternal anxiety, infant brain volumes, and temperament during the COVID-19 pandemic. Translational Psychiatry, 15, 283.

  7. Singh, S. & van de Wouw, Marcel & Tomfohr, Lianne & Lebel, Catherine & Giesbrecht, Gerald. (2025). The role of green and blue spaces in perinatal maternal mental health outcomes during the transition to parenthood. Environment International.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2025.109572Ou, C., Chen, G., Giesbrecht, G.F., Keys, E., Lebel, C., Tomfohr-Madsen, L. (2025). Psychological distress in childbearing persons during the COVID-19 pandemic: A multi-trajectory study of anger, anxiety, and depression. Depression and Anxiety.https://doi.org/10.1155/da/6663877.

  8. Davis, K., Freeman, M., Fazal, P., Reynolds, K. A., Beatty-Moody, D. L., Pui Yee Lai, B., Giesbrecht, G. F., Lebel, C., Tomfohr-Madsen, L. (2024). Experiences with discrimination during pregnancy in Canada and associations with depression and anxiety symptoms. Canadian Journal of Public Health.https://doi.org/10.17269/s41997-024-00933-2

  9. Nivins, S., Giesbrecht, G. F., Tomfohr-Madsen, L., & Lebel, C. (2024). Prenatal maternal diabetes, comorbidities, and risk for neurodevelopmental impairment in the first two years. Pediatric Research. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-024-03620-7

  10. Vrantsidis, D. M., Marcel, Emily, Kuret, V., Rioux, C., Conrad, M. L., Mesa, C., Harris, A., Lebel, C., Tomfohr-Madsen, L., & Giesbrecht, G. F. (2024). Neurodevelopment in the First 2 Years of Life Following Prenatal Exposure to Maternal SARS-CoV-2 Infection. JAMA Network Open, 7(11), e2443697–e2443697. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.43697

  11. Jaffer, A., Manning, K. Y., Giesbrecht, G. F., Tomfohr-Madsen, L. M., & Lebel, C. (2024). “COVID-19 Pandemic-Related Prenatal Distress and Infant Functional Brain Development.” JAACAP Open. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaacop.2024.09.008.

  12. Giesbrecht, G. F., van de Wouw, M., Watts, D., Perdue, M. V., Graham, S., Lai, B. P. Y., Tomfohr-Madsen, L., & Lebel, C. (2024). Language learning in the context of a global pandemic: Proximal and distal factors matter. Pediatric Research.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-024-03583-9

  13. Datye, S., Smiljanic, M., Shetti, R., MacRae-Miller, A., van Teijlingen, E., Vinayakarao, L., Peters, E. M. J., Lebel, C., Tomfohr-Madsen, L., Giesbrecht, G., Khashu, M., & Conrad, M. L. (2024). Prenatal maternal mental health and resilience in the united kingdom during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: A cross- national comparison. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 15, 1411761. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1411761

  14. Watts, D., Baglot, S., Dewsnap, K., Chaput, K., Giesbrecht, G.F., Lebel, C., Tomfohr-Madsen, L. (2024). Evaluation of the Association between Prenatal Cannabis Use and Risk of Developmental Delay. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Open, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaacop.2024.03.004

  15. Mollons, M., Levasseur-Puhach, S., Kaur, J., Doyle, J., Giesbrecht, G., Lebel, C. A., Woods, L., Tomfohr-Madsen, L., & Roos, L. (2024). Mixed-methods study exploring  health service access and social support linkage to the mental well-being of Canadian indigenous pregnant persons during the covid-19 pandemic. BMJ Open, 14(3). https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2023-078388

  16. Freeman, M., Fischer, O., Lebel, C., Giesbrecht, G. F., & Tomfohr-Madsen, L. (2024). Making diversity visible: Collecting gender identity and sexual orientation data in perinatal research. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 230(2), 269–271. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2023.09.098

  17. Lebel, C., Tomfohr-Madsen, L., Giesbrecht, G., Lai, B. P. Y., Bagshawe, M., Freeman, M., Hapin, M. K., MacKinnon, A., Patel, P., van Sloten, M., & van de Wouw, M. (2023). Prenatal mental health data and birth outcomes in the pregnancy during the COVID-19 Pandemic dataset. Data in brief, 49, 109366. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2023.109366

  18. Donnici, C., Tomfohr-Madsen, L., Long, X., Manning, K. Y., Giesbrecht, G., & Lebel, C. (2023). Prenatal depressive symptoms are associated with altered structural brain networks in infants and moderated by infant sleep. Journal of Affective Disorders, 339, 118-126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2023.06.054

  19. Giesbrecht, G., Lebel, C., Dennis, C.L., Silang, K., Xie, E., Tough, S., McDonald, S., Tomfohr-Madsen, L., (2023). Risk for Developmental Delay Among Infants Born During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics. 44(6): 412-420. https://doi.org/10.1097/DBP.0000000000001197

  20. Xie, E. B., Freeman, M., Penner-Goeke, L., Reynolds, K., Lebel, C., Giesbrecht, G. F., Rioux, C., MacKinnon, A., Sauer-Zavala, S., Roos, L. E., & Tomfohr-Madsen, L. (2023). Building emotional awareness and mental health (BEAM): An open-pilot and feasibility study of a digital mental health and parenting intervention for mothers of infants. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 9(1), 27-13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40814-023-01245-x

  21. Giesbrecht, G.F., van de Wouw, M., Rioux, C., Lai, B.P.Y., King, S., Tomfohr-Madsen, L & Lebel, C. (2023). Cumulative effects of pre-pandemic vulnerabilities and pandemic-related hardship on psychological distress among pregnant individuals. General Hospital Psychiatry (83, August), 93-100. https://doi/org/10/1016/j.genhosppsych.2023.04.016

  22. Vaghef-Mehrabani E, Wang Y, Zinman J, Beharaj G, Van De Wouw M, Lebel CA, Tomfohr-Madsen L, Giesbrecht GF. (2022). Dietary changes among pregnant individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic – the Pregnancy during the COVID-19 Pandemic (PdP) Study. Frontiers in Nutrition. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2022.997236.

  23. Tomfohr-Madsen, L. M., Rioux, C., MacKinnon, A. L., Silang, K., Roos, L. E., Lebel, C. & Giesbrecht, G. F. (2022). Sleep and mental health in pregnancy during COVID-19: A parallel process growth model. Sleep Health. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleh.2022.05.011

  24. Manning, K., Long, X., Watts, D., Tomfohr-Madsen, L., Giesbrecht, G., Lebel, C. (2022). Prenatal maternal distress during the COVID-19 pandemic and associations with infant brain connectivity. Biological Psychiatry. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.05.011

  25. Giesbrecht, G., Rojas, L., Patel, S., Kuret, V., MacKinnon, A., Tomfohr-Madsen, L., Lebel, C. (2022). Fear of COVID-19, mental health, and pregnancy outcomes in the pregnancy during the COVID-19 pandemic study: Fear of COVID-19 and pregnancy outcomes. Journal of Affective Disorders, 299, 438-491. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2021.12.057

  26. Reynolds, K. A., Pankratz, L., Cameron, E. E., Roos, L. E., Giesbrecht, G. F., Lebel, C., & Tomfohr-Madsen, L. M. (2022). Pregnancy during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative examination of ways of coping. Archives of Women's Mental Health, 25(6), 1137-1148. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-022-01277-x

  27. Xie, E. B., Simpson, K. M., Reynolds, K. A., Giuliano, R. J., Protudjer, J. L. P., Soderstrom, M., Sauer-Zavala, S., Giesbrecht, G. F., Lebel, C., Mackinnon, A. L., Rioux, C., Penner-Goeke, L., Freeman, M., Salisbury, M. R., Tomfohr-Madsen, L., & Roos, L. E. (2022). Building emotional awareness and mental health (BEAM): Study protocol for a phase III randomized controlled trial of the BEAM app-based program for mothers of children 18-36 months. Current Controlled Trials in Cardiovascular Medicine, 23(1), 741-21. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-022-06512-5

  28. Xie, E.B., Rioux, C., Madsen, J.W., Lebel, C., Giesbrecht, G.F., & Tomfohr-Madsen, L. (2022). Romantic relationship quality and mental health in pregnancy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology,41(5), 463-490. https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.2022.41.5.463

  29. Groulx, T., Bagshawe, M. Giesbrecht, G., Tomfohr-Madsen, L., Hetherington, E., Lebel, C. (2021). Prenatal care disruptions and associations with maternal mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Frontiers in Global Women’s Health. 2, 648428. https://doi.org/10.3389/fgwh.2021.648428

  30. Giesbrecht, G.F., Bagshawe, M., van Sloten, M., MacKinnon, A.L., Dhillon, A., van de Wouw, M., Vaghef-Mehrabany, E., Rojas, L., Cattani, D., Lebel, C., Tomfohr-Madsen, L.M. (2021). Protocol for the pregnancy during the COVID-19 pandemic (PdP) study: A longitudinal cohort study of mental health among pregnant Canadians during the COVID-19 pandemic and developmental outcomes in their children. JMIR Research Protocols, 10(4). https://doi.org/10.2196/25407

  31. Kar, P., Tomfohr-Madsen, L., Giesbrecht, G., Bagshawe, M., & Lebel, C. (2021). Alcohol and substance use in pregnancy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 225, 108760. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.108760

  32. Lebel, C., MacKinnon, A., Bagshawe, M., Tomfohr-Madsen, L., & Giesbrecht, G. (2020). Elevated depression and anxiety among pregnant individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Affective Disorders, 227, 5-13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2020.07.126

Full Publications List

These posters were presented at various local, national, and international conferences. Click the image to open the poster in a new tab for easier viewing.

Poster Presentations