Effects of COVID-19 on Pregnancy, Antenatal Care and Birth

Abstract

Introduction: The research was carried out to determine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on pregnancy, antenatal care, birth planning and postpartum period. Methods: The descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in November-December 2020 using a web-based online questionnaire. The population of the study consists of women received prenatal care from a state hospital in a province in the south of Turkey, attended childbirth preparation classes, and spent their pregnancy and delivery process during the pandemic period. A total of 240 pregnant women meeting the research criteria were included in the sampling. The data, developed by the researchers, were used in the first part of the questionnaire consisting of socio-demographic and obstetric characteristics of pregnant women, and in the second part, a questionnaire consisting of questions to determine the changing health habits, knowledge levels, contact statuses and the effect of the pandemic on the birth preferences and postpartum process during the COVID-19 pandemic process. Results: In the study, it was determined that 55.0% of the puerperant women had fear of contagion during pregnancy, 13.3% were diagnosed with COVID-19, and masks were used the most (95.0%) to protect themselves from the epidemic. In the study, 35.0% of the women postponed their prenatal care during pregnancy, 83.7% were planning a normal birth, only 45.0% had a normal delivery, 90% were breastfeeding the baby, 87.5% were sent to the health institution for the postnatal tests. They stated that they were concerned about the risk of contamination when applying. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic adversely affects the process of receiving health care services during pregnancy and postpartum period. It may be useful to inform pregnant and postpartum women about the transmission of COVID-19 infection during the pandemic process.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• pregnancy
• prenatal care
• postpartum period
• newborn

COVID-19’un Gebelik, Doğum Öncesi Bakım ve Doğum Üzerindeki Etkileri

Abstract

Giriş: Araştırma, COVID-19 pandemisinin gebelik, doğum öncesi bakım, doğum planlaması ve doğum sonrası sürece etkilerini belirlemek amacıyla gerçekleştirildi. Yöntem: Tanımlayıcı kesitsel özellikteki çalışma, Kasım-Aralık 2020'de web tabanlı çevrimiçi anket kullanılarak gerçekleştirildi. Araştırmanın evrenini Türkiye'nin güneyinde bir ilde devlet hastanesinden doğum öncesi bakım hizmeti alan ve doğuma hazırlık sınıflarına katılan ve gebeliğini ve doğum sürecini pandemi döneminde geçiren kadınlar oluşturmaktadır. Örnekleme ise araştırma kriterlerine uyan toplam 240 gebe dahil edildi. Veriler, araştırmacılar tarafından geliştirilen ilk bölümünde gebelerin sosyo-demografik ve obstetrik özellikleri, ikinci bölümde COVID-19 pandemisi sürecinde değişen sağlık alışkanlıkları, bilgi düzeyleri, temas durumları ve pandeminin doğum tercihleri ve postpartum sürece etkisine belirlemeye yönelik sorulardan oluşan anket formu kullanıldı. Bulgular: Çalışmada lohusaların %55,0’inin gebelikte bulaşma korkusu yaşadığı, %13,3’ünün COVID-19 tanısı aldığı, salgında kendini korunmak için en fazla maske kullanıldığı (%95,0) saptandı. Araştırmada kadınların %35,0’inin gebelik döneminde doğum öncesi bakımını ertelediği, %83,7’sinin normal doğum planlarken, sadece %45,0’inin normal doğum yaptığı, %90’0ı bebeği emziririken, %87,5’inin de doğum sonu bebeğe yapılan testleri için sağlık kuruluşuna başvurma konusunda bulaş riski açısından endişe yaşadıklarını belirtmişlerdir. Sonuç: COVID-19 pandemisi gebelik ve doğum sonu dönemde sağlık bakım hizmet alma sürecini olumsuz etkilemektedir. Gebe ve lohusaların pandemi sürecinde COVID-19 enfeksiyonu bulaşı korkusu konusunda bilgilendirilmesi yararlı olabilir.

Keywords

• Covid 19
• gebe
• doğum öncesi bakım
• postpartum dönem
• yenidoğan

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