Quality of facility-based maternal and newborn care around the time of childbirth during the COVID-19 pandemic: online survey investigating maternal perspectives in 12 countries of the WHO European Region

• Author(s): Lazzerini, Marzia ; Covi, Benedetta ; Mariani, Ilaria ; Drglin, Zalka ; Arendt, Maryse ; Nedberg, Ingvild Hersoug ; Elden, Helen ; Costa, Raquel ; Drandić, Daniela ; Radetić, Jelena ; Otelea, Marina Ruxandra ; Miani, Céline ; Brigidi, Serena ; Rozée, Virginie ; Ponikvar, Barbara Mihevc ; Tasch, Barbara ; Kongslien, Sigrun ; Linden, Karolina ; Barata, Catarina ; Kurbanović, Magdalena ; Ružičić, Jovana ; Batram-Zantvoort, Stephanie ; Castañeda, Lara Martín ; Rochebrochard, Elise de La ; Bohinec, Anja ; Vik, Eline Skirnisdottir ; Zaigham, Mehreen ; Santos, Teresa ; Wandschneider, Lisa ; Viver, Ana Canales ; Ćerimagić, Amira ; Sacks, Emma ; Valente, Emanuelle Pessa
• Date: 2022
• Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10451/50717
• Origin: Repositório da Universidade de Lisboa
• Subject(s): COVID-19; maternal; newborn; quality of care; respectful maternity care
• Document Type: Journal article
• Language: English
• Contributor(s): Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto da ULisboa

Description

The COVID‑19 pandemic has increased the existing challenges of all health systems, and the quality of maternal and newborn care (QMNC) worldwide has been particularly affected.1,2 During the pandemic, even among high income countries of the World Health Organisation (WHO) European Region, multiple studies, including a systematic review1,3, 4, 5 have documented a deterioration in key indicators, such as: reduced utilisation of maternal and newborn health services, increased number of stillbirths, increased medicalization of care (more caesarean sections and induction of labours), reduced family involvement, low support and uptake of breastfeeding, and amplified maternal anxiety and stress.