The experiences of childbearing women who tested positive to COVID-19 during the pandemic in northern Italy.
Childbirth
Coronavirus
Experience
Maternity care
Midwifery
Pandemic
Women
Journal
Women and birth : journal of the Australian College of Midwives
ISSN: 1878-1799
Titre abrégé: Women Birth
Pays: Netherlands
ID NLM: 101266131
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
May 2022
May 2022
Historique:
received:
06
11
2020
revised:
28
12
2020
accepted:
02
01
2021
pubmed:
17
1
2021
medline:
6
5
2022
entrez:
16
1
2021
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly challenged maternity provision internationally. COVID-19 positive women are one of the childbearing groups most impacted by the pandemic due to drastic changes to maternity care pathways put in place. Some quantitative research was conducted on clinical characteristics of pregnant women with COVID-19 and pregnant women's concerns and birth expectations during the COVID-19 pandemic, but no qualitative findings on childbearing women's experiences during the pandemic were published prior to our study. To explore childbearing experiences of COVID-19 positive mothers who gave birth in the months of March and April 2020 in a Northern Italy maternity hospital. A qualitative interpretive phenomenological approach was undertaken. Audio-recorded semi-structured interviews were conducted with 22 women. Thematic analysis was completed using NVivo software. Ethical approval was obtained from the research site's Ethics Committee prior to commencing the study. The findings include four main themes: 1) coping with unmet expectations; 2) reacting and adapting to the 'new ordinary'; 3) 'pandemic relationships'; 4) sharing a traumatic experience with long-lasting emotional impact. The most traumatic elements of women's experiences were the sudden family separation, self-isolation, transfer to a referral centre, the partner not allowed to be present at birth and limited physical contact with the newborn. Key elements of good practice including provision of compassionate care, presence of birth companions and transfer to referral centers only for the most severe COVID-19 cases should be considered when drafting maternity care pathways guidelines in view of future pandemic waves.
Sections du résumé
PROBLEM
OBJECTIVE
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly challenged maternity provision internationally. COVID-19 positive women are one of the childbearing groups most impacted by the pandemic due to drastic changes to maternity care pathways put in place.
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Some quantitative research was conducted on clinical characteristics of pregnant women with COVID-19 and pregnant women's concerns and birth expectations during the COVID-19 pandemic, but no qualitative findings on childbearing women's experiences during the pandemic were published prior to our study.
AIM
OBJECTIVE
To explore childbearing experiences of COVID-19 positive mothers who gave birth in the months of March and April 2020 in a Northern Italy maternity hospital.
METHODS
METHODS
A qualitative interpretive phenomenological approach was undertaken. Audio-recorded semi-structured interviews were conducted with 22 women. Thematic analysis was completed using NVivo software. Ethical approval was obtained from the research site's Ethics Committee prior to commencing the study.
FINDINGS
RESULTS
The findings include four main themes: 1) coping with unmet expectations; 2) reacting and adapting to the 'new ordinary'; 3) 'pandemic relationships'; 4) sharing a traumatic experience with long-lasting emotional impact.
DISCUSSION
CONCLUSIONS
The most traumatic elements of women's experiences were the sudden family separation, self-isolation, transfer to a referral centre, the partner not allowed to be present at birth and limited physical contact with the newborn.
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSIONS
Key elements of good practice including provision of compassionate care, presence of birth companions and transfer to referral centers only for the most severe COVID-19 cases should be considered when drafting maternity care pathways guidelines in view of future pandemic waves.
Identifiants
pubmed: 33451929
pii: S1871-5192(21)00001-9
doi: 10.1016/j.wombi.2021.01.001
pmc: PMC7796658
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Pagination
242-253Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2021 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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