Feeling anxious’- women’s experiences of having a baby in Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic using the Voqual real time app

Feeling anxious’- women’s experiences of having a baby in Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic using the Voqual real time app

Abstract Purpose Internationally, the COVID-19 pandemic impacted maternity services. In Australia, this included changes to antenatal appointments and the reduction of support people during labour and birth. For women pregnant during the pandemic there were increased stressors of infection in the co...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:BMC pregnancy and childbirth Vol. 23; no. 1; pp. 1 - 670
Main Authors: Keedle, Hazel, Tomczak, Kimberley, Lequertier, Belinda, Dahlen, Hannah G
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: London BioMed Central 19-09-2023
BMC
Subjects:
Antenatal
Anxiety
COVID-19
Data collection
Ethics
Feminism
Infections
Interviews
Loneliness
Maternal child nursing
Maternity models of care
Midwifery
Pandemics
Pregnancy
Qualitative research
Real time
Smartphones
Telemedicine
Womens health
Australia
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Summary:Abstract Purpose Internationally, the COVID-19 pandemic impacted maternity services. In Australia, this included changes to antenatal appointments and the reduction of support people during labour and birth. For women pregnant during the pandemic there were increased stressors of infection in the community and in hospitals along with increased periods of isolation from friends and families during lockdown periods. The aim of this study was to explore the real-time experiences of women who were pregnant and had a baby during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. Methods This study followed seven women throughout their pregnancy and early parenthood. Women created audio or video recordings in real time using the Voqual app and were followed up by in-depth interviews after they gave birth. Results Using narrative analysis their individual stories were compared and an overarching theme of ‘feeling anxious’ was found which was underpinned by the two themes ‘model of care’ and ‘environment’. Conclusions These findings highlight the protective impact midwifery continuity of care has on reducing anxiety in women during the pandemic, and that the home environment can either be secure and safe or a place of isolation.
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ISSN:1471-2393
1471-2393
DOI:10.1186/s12884-023-05993-9