ABSTRACT
Resumo Objetivo Analisar os fatores associados à restrição do acompanhamento de lactentes que nasceram prematuros e/ou baixo peso durante a pandemia da COVID-19 e a percepção de mães e profissionais de saúde quanto a essa realidade. Métodos Pesquisa de método misto com delineamento paralelo convergente, realizada com 14 mães de lactentes que nasceram prematuros e/ou baixo peso acompanhados no ambulatório de follow-up de uma maternidade em um município da Paraíba, e quatro profissionais de saúde desse serviço. A coleta de dados foi realizada no período de junho a julho de 2020, concomitantemente, em fonte de dados secundários, constituída de todos os 140 prontuários dos respectivos lactentes para abordagem quantitativa, por meio de entrevista semiestruturada, para abordagem qualitativa. A análise quantitativa ocorreu por estatística descritiva e inferencial, e a qualitativa, conforme análise temática indutiva. Resultados Houve associação significativa entre a idade dos lactentes e a restrição do seu acompanhamento no follow-up durante a pandemia, com priorização do atendimento presencial dos menores de seis meses, contatos pontuais com os familiares, via ligação telefônica ou aplicativo digital, e lacunas na atualização do calendário vacinal dos que tiveram o acompanhamento interrompido. Isso gerou insatisfação das mães e receio de prejuízos ao desenvolvimento dos lactentes. Também não houve continuidade do cuidado desses na unidade básica de saúde. Conclusão Houveram restrições no acompanhamento dos lactentes nascidos prematuros no serviço de follow-up durante a pandemia, gerando insatisfação materna e receio de prejuízos ao desenvolvimento de seus filhos.
Resumen Objetivo Analizar los factores asociados a la restricción del seguimiento de lactantes que nacieron prematuros o de bajo peso durante la pandemia de COVID-19 y la percepción de madres y profesionales de la salud respecto a esta realidad. Métodos Estudio de método mixto con diseño paralelo convergente, realizado con 14 madres de lactantes que nacieron prematuros o de bajo peso atendidos en consultorios externos de follow-up de una maternidad en un municipio del estado de Paraíba, y cuatro profesionales de la salud de este servicio. La recopilación de datos fue realizada en el período de junio a julio de 2020, simultáneamente en fuente de datos secundarios, compuesta por las 140 historias clínicas de los respectivos lactantes para el enfoque cuantitativo, por medio de entrevista semiestructurada, para el enfoque cualitativo. El análisis cuantitativo se llevó a cabo por estadística descriptiva e inferencial, y el cualitativo mediante análisis temático inductivo. Resultados Hubo relación significativa entre la edad de los lactantes y la restricción de su seguimiento en el follow-up durante la pandemia, con priorización de atención presencial a los menores de seis meses, contactos puntuales con los familiares, vía llamada telefónica o aplicación digital, y vacíos en la actualización del calendario de vacunación de los que tuvieron el seguimiento interrumpido. Esto generó insatisfacción de las madres y temor de perjudicar el desarrollo de los lactantes. Tampoco hubo continuidad del cuidado de estos en la unidad básica de salud. Conclusión Hubo restricciones en el seguimiento de los lactantes nacidos prematuros en el servicio de follow-up durante la pandemia, lo que generó insatisfacción materna y temor de perjudicar el desarrollo de sus hijos.
Abstract Objective To analyze the factors associated with restricting the follow-up of infants who were born premature and/or low birth weight during the COVID-19 pandemic and mothers' and health professionals' perception regarding this reality. Methods This is mixed methods research with a parallel convergent design, carried out with 14 mothers of infants who were born premature and/or low birth weight, followed up at a follow-up outpatient clinic of a maternity hospital in a municipality in Paraíba, and four health professionals from this service. Data collection was carried out from June to July 2020, concomitantly, in a secondary data source, consisting of all 140 medical records of the respective infants for a quantitative approach, through a semi-structured interview, for a qualitative approach. Quantitative analysis was performed using descriptive and inferential statistics, and qualitative analysis, according to inductive thematic analysis. Results There was a significant association between infant age and the restriction of their follow-up during the pandemic, with prioritization of one-to-one care for children under six months of age, occasional contacts with family members, via phone call or digital application, and gaps in updating the vaccination schedule of those whose follow-up was interrupted. This generated dissatisfaction on the part of mothers and fear of harm to the development of infants. There was also no continuity of care for these in the Basic Health Unit. Conclusion There were restrictions on follow-up of premature infants in the follow-up service during the pandemic, generating maternal dissatisfaction and fear of damage to the development of their children.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Infant, Newborn , Infant , Breast Feeding , Infant, Premature , Maternal-Child Health Services , COVID-19 , Mothers , Child Health Services , Medical Records , Interviews as Topic , Evaluation Studies as TopicABSTRACT
Background: In the COVID-19 epidemic, pregnant women, fetuses, and newborns are a high-risk population that is more susceptible than the general population. These groups are more susceptible to serious respiratory illnesses and pneumonia because of their weakened immune systems. This study compared maternal and neonatal outcomes in postpartum women with COVID-19 with similar healthy women at the hospital. Method(s): In this retrospective cohort study, the characteristics of 100 pregnant women with COVID-19 (confirmed by a positive PCR test during pregnancy) were compared to 150 healthy pregnant women who were referred to Fatemieh Hospital in Hamadan from March, 2020 to February, 2021. The maternal and neonatal outcomes were collected from the medical record of patients and analyzed using SPSS software (Ver. 26). Result(s): No significant differences were observed in the average ages (+/- standard deviation) of the two groups of COVID-19 (30.25 +/- 6.24 years) and healthy (29.48 +/- 6.73 years) women. In this study, pregnant women were infected with COVID-19 from weeks 7 to 41 of gestation, with a median infection time of 35 weeks. The odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of pre-eclampsia and preterm birth was significantly higher in women with COVID-19 than in healthy women with the following values 2.79 (1.61, 7.34) and 22.26 (2.86, 173.33), respectively. Conclusion(s): Pregnant women suffering from COVID-19 had considerably greater rates of gestational issues, neonatal difficulties, pre-eclampsia, and premature delivery, according to the findings of this study. During epidemics, it is advised that pregnant women and their newborns receive more basic care.Copyright © 2023 Bentham Science Publishers.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, rural and geographically isolated regions in lower-middle-income countries (LMICs) encountered major deficits in maternal and child health (MCH) care that were accentuated by pre-existing weak public health infrastructure and diversion of existing health resources for pandemic management purposes. This explorative qualitative study was conducted to assess the barriers, challenges, and facilitators in the access and utilization of essential MCH services among pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic in a geographically remote and rural area in India, having nearly 70% rural population. METHOD: The study was conducted using an ethnographic approach. Three villages were selected purposively from the Purba Medinipur district of the Eastern state of West Bengal, geographically isolated by a local river. Information on challenges of utilization was collected by in-depth interviews (IDI) with a universal sample of 25 mothers who underwent pregnancy after March 2020 and focus group discussions (FGD) with their husbands and mothers-in-laws. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data. RESULTS: The median (IQR) age of the mothers that delivered during pregnancy were 23 (18, 28) years and ranging from 18 to 28 years (N=25). All the mothers were married, housewives, literate, and Hindu by religion, while in the accompanying husband cohort, a majority (56 %) had completed high school. Half (52%) were primigravida with at least one living child (60 %). All the mothers had a successful birth outcome and only one had current evidence of mild depression. Low utilization of MCH services during the pandemic in the study area was recognized as an outcome of individual-level, interpersonal-level, and community-level barriers. Diversion of routine health staff for COVID-19 related services occasionally compelled pregnant women and children to seek care from unlicensed healthcare providers who remained accessible even during periods of stringent lockdown. Furthermore, the irregular functioning of the local primary health care system translated into missed home visits and disruption of nutritional assistance services. A dual burden of economic loss was reported in most households from loss of livelihood and wages and additional expenditure incurred in underdoing deliveries at private health facilities, thereby potentially translating into catastrophic out-of-pocket costs. The designation of a separate government health facility for delivery due to the unavailability of the local hospital did not mitigate the circumstances due to its lack of utilization by the villagers who encountered difficult access and a lack of trust in an unfamiliar environment. The functioning of a popular conditional cash transfer scheme for promoting safe motherhood was also possibly compromised during the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: Accessibility to MCH services was severely affected during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially during the stringent lockdown periods in remote and rural areas in India. Future pandemic preparedness must have enhanced health policy and administrative focus on preventing significant disruption of MCH services by maintaining improved accessibility to alternative health facilities, monitoring regular home visits by frontline health workers, rendering effective distribution of benefits from existing social protection schemes, and universal promotion of respectful maternity care.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: COVID-19 vaccines are recommended for pregnant and lactating individuals, and there is substantial evidence for their safety and effectiveness. As the pandemic continues, information on worries and beliefs surrounding perinatal COVID-19 vaccination remains important to inform efforts aimed at improving vaccine uptake. Our objectives were to assess factors associated with COVID-19 vaccination among perinatal individuals; and to explore motivational factors associated with willingness to be vaccinated among unvaccinated perinatal individuals. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional web-based survey of preconception, pregnant, and lactating individuals in Canada. The outcomes of interest were vaccination with at least one dose of any COVID-19 vaccine and willingness to be vaccinated among unvaccinated individuals. Sample characteristics were summarized using frequencies and percentages. The association between eight prespecified risk factors and two outcomes (vaccination status and willingness to be vaccinated) was assessed by logistic regression. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for the total sample, and across perinatal sub-groups. RESULTS: Among 3446 survey respondents, there were 447 (13.0%) preconception, 1832 (53.2%) pregnant, and 1167 (42.4%) lactating. There were 1460 (42.4%) and 1982 (57.5%) who were vaccinated and unvaccinated, respectively. Factors positively associated with COVID-19 vaccine status were speaking to a healthcare provider about vaccination during the perinatal period (aOR:2.35, 95% CI:1.97-2.80) and believing that the COVID-19 vaccine is effective (aOR:1.91, 95% CI:1.46-2.48). Factors negatively associated with vaccine status included worries about fetal growth and development (aOR:0.55, 95% CI:0.43-0.70) and future child behavioral/neurodevelopmental problems (aOR:0.59, 95% CI:0.46-0.75). Among unvaccinated individuals specifically, characteristics positively associated with willingness to vaccinate were speaking to a healthcare provider (aOR:1.67, 95% CI:1.32-2.12) and believing the COVID-19 vaccine is effective (aOR:3.56, 95% CI:2.70-4.69). Factors negatively associated with willingness were concerns over infertility (aOR:0.66, 95% CI:0.49-0.88), fetal growth and development (aOR:0.33, 95% CI:0.24-0.46), and future child behavioral/neurodevelopmental problems (aOR:0.64, 95% CI:0.48-0.84). CONCLUSIONS: In this Canadian perinatal population, approximately 42% reported COVID-19 vaccination. Among unvaccinated individuals, willingness to receive vaccination was high (73%). Factors enhancing vaccine willingness included discussions with healthcare providers and believing the vaccine was effective. Concerns regarding vaccine safety, particularly with respect to fetal/child development, were the greatest barriers to vaccine uptake.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 Vaccines , COVID-19 , Child , Female , Pregnancy , Humans , Cross-Sectional Studies , Lactation , COVID-19/epidemiology , COVID-19/prevention & control , Canada/epidemiology , VaccinationABSTRACT
Background: COVID-19 pandemic has derailed health care services. The health resources and manpower were prioritized and diverted to curb the COVID-19 infections at the cost of routine medical services to the people. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal and child health is unknown. This study aimed to assess the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on maternal and child health care services in Phuentsholing General Hospital. Methods: A descriptive retrospective study was conducted at Phuentsholing General Hospital from January 1 to June 30, 2022. The patient medical records were reviewed for the prepandemic years 2018, and 2019, and the pandemic years 2020, and 2021. The medical records of all the female patients and newborns who came to the Maternal and Child Health Unit (MCH), those who were admitted to the gynecology ward, and who underwent obstetrical and gynecological surgeries were reviewed. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 23. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages were used to describe the study variables. The line graph and bar graph were used to determine the trends and to compare the impact of COVID-19 on MCH services between the pre-pandemic and pandemic years. Results: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the total admission dropped by 10% to 14.4%; the total deliveries dropped by 16.1%; Cesarean section rate dropped to 12.9%; and fewer gynecological surgeries were performed (13.9% from 20.6%). There was a significant drop in antenatal and postnatal follow-up visits (31.5% and 24.51%) respectively; Pap smear dropped by 93% and colposcopy by 52%. The overall immunization coverage has dropped drastically during the pandemic period. Conclusion: The pregnant mothers and newborn babies missed antenatal and postnatal follow-up visits, missed immunization, and women were not able to be screened for cervical cancers during the pandemic. These negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal and child health care were profound.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Since March 2020, the need to reduce patients' exposure to COVID-19 has resulted in a large-scale pivot to telehealth service delivery. Although studies report that pregnant women have been generally satisfied with their prenatal telehealth experiences during the pandemic, less is known about telehealth satisfaction among postpartum women. OBJECTIVE: This study examined telehealth satisfaction among both pregnant and recently pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic, to determine whether demographic factors (ie, race, age, marital status, education level, household income, and employment status) are associated with telehealth satisfaction in this population. METHODS: A web-based cross-sectional survey designed to capture data on health-related behaviors and health care experiences of pregnant and recently pregnant women in the United States was disseminated in Spring 2022. Eligible participants were at least 18 years old, identified as a woman, and were currently pregnant or had been pregnant in the last 3 years. RESULTS: In the final analytic sample of N=403, the mean telehealth satisfaction score was 3.97 (SD 0.66; score range 1-5). In adjusted linear regression models, being aged 35-44 years (vs 18-24 years), having an annual income of ≥ US $100,000 (vs < US $50,000), and being recently (vs currently) pregnant were associated with greater telehealth satisfaction (P≤.049). CONCLUSIONS: Although perinatal women are generally satisfied with telehealth, disparities exist. Specifically, being aged 18-24 years, having an annual income of < US $50,000, and being currently pregnant were associated with lower telehealth satisfaction. It is critical that public health policies or programs consider these factors, especially if the expanded use of telehealth is to persist beyond the pandemic.
ABSTRACT
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a disease caused by a novel strain of coronavirus and has resulted in a global pandemic. Information regarding the COVID-19 pathophysiology and its long-term impacts on humans is yet to be found. The knowledge about the COVID -19 infection's effects on the fetus is limited. The maternal to fetal transmission during various trimesters is not adequately studied. We present a case concerning maternal-to-fetal vertical transmission focusing on congenital infection.
ABSTRACT
The consumption of human milk by a breastfeeding infant is associated with positive health outcomes, including lower risk of diarrheal disease, respiratory disease, otitis media, and in later life, less risk of chronic disease. These benefits may be mediated by antibodies, glycoproteins, glycolipids, oligosaccharides, and leukocytes. More recently, human milk extracellular vesicles (hMEVs) have been identified. HMEVs contain functional cargos, i.e., miRNAs and proteins, that may transmit information from the mother to promote infant growth and development. Maternal health conditions can influence hMEV composition. This review summarizes hMEV biogenesis and functional contents, reviews the functional evidence of hMEVs in the maternal-infant health relationship, and discusses challenges and opportunities in hMEV research.
Subject(s)
Extracellular Vesicles , MicroRNAs , Breast Feeding , Female , Humans , Infant , MicroRNAs/metabolism , Milk, Human/metabolism , Oligosaccharides/metabolismABSTRACT
The article offers information about the Covid-19 prevalence and outcomes in postpartum women and newborns in a community hospital system. It mentions that pregnant women are at a significantly increased risk for severe illness, pregnancy complications, and preterm delivery if they are infected with Covid-19.
ABSTRACT
Relational experiences during infancy and early childhood are key drivers for building health, social emotional development, and learning capacities, each vital for wellbeing. The U.S. child health sectors share a commitment to universal health promotion, prevention and early intervention, and a growing enthusiasm for the research-affirmed primacy of caregiver-child interactions during the critical first 1000 days of life. Given our nation's growing children's mental health crisis, racial justice awakening and the need to reimagine equitable supports for young families post-COVID19, the child health sectors seek new tools and clinical approaches that blend science-to-practice innovations with co-developed activities that are meaningful to families. This special section brings together papers about a journey of co-discovery between researchers, clinicians, and parents during the development and refinement of new video- and interview-based dyadic relational screening and monitoring tools. The collection of papers addresses a range of topics including early relational health (ERH), development and validation of the Early Relational Health Screen, its application within research and clinical settings, and thoughtful discussions from multiple perspectives. Informed by the diversity informed tenets, this journey highlights not only science-informed approaches, but also co-development with families of equitable approaches to understanding and serving children and their caregivers.
Las experiencias en las relaciones durante la infancia y la temprana niñez son conductores claves para fortalecer la salud, el desarrollo socio-emocional y las capacidades de aprendizaje, todas las cuales son vitales para el bienestar. Los sectores de salud infantil en los Estados Unidos comparten un compromiso para promover globalmente la salud, la prevención y la temprana intervención, así como un creciente entusiasmo por la primacía de las interacciones entre quien presta el cuidado y el niño, tal como las reafirma la investigación, durante los críticos primeros mil días de vida. Dada la creciente crisis de salud mental infantil de nuestro país, el despertar de la justicia racial y la necesidad de volver a conceptualizar los apoyos equitativos para familias jóvenes después del Covid-19, los sectores de salud infantil, buscan nuevas herramientas y acercamientos clínicos que mezclan las innovaciones de la ciencia a la práctica con actividades desarrolladas en conjunto que resultan significativas para las familias. Esta sección especial presenta artículos acerca de una trayectoria de descubrimiento en conjunto entre investigadores, profesionales clínicos y padres durante el desarrollo y afinamiento de nuevas herramientas de detección y supervisión de la relación diádica basadas en videos y entrevistas. El grupo de artículos aborda un número de temas que incluyen la temprana saludable relación (ERH), el desarrollo y la validez de la Detección de la Temprana Saludable Relación, su aplicación dentro de los campos de la investigación y clínicos, así como sensatas discusiones a partir de múltiples perspectivas. Respaldada por principios basados en la diversidad, esta trayectoria subraya no sólo los acercamientos cuya información proviene de la ciencia, sino también el desarrollo en conjunto con familias de equitativos acercamientos para comprender y servirles a los niños y a quienes los cuidan.
Les expériences relationnelles le bas âge et la petite enfance sont des facteurs clés pour la construction de la santé, le développement socio-émotionnel et les capacités d'apprentissage, qui sont indispensables au bien-être. Les secteurs de la santé de l'enfant aux Etats-Unis d'Amérique partagent un engagement envers la promotion universelle de la santé, la prévention et l'intervention précoce, et un enthousiasme grandissant pour la primauté des interactions personne prenant soin de l'enfant-enfant, affirmée par les recherches, durant les 100 premiers jours critique de la vie. Au vu de la croissance de la crise de santé mentale des enfants dans notre pays, du réveil de la justice raciale et du besoin de réimaginer les soutiens équitables pour les jeunes familles après le Covid19, les secteurs de la santé mentale de l'enfant cherchent de nouveaux outils et des approches cliniques qui mélange des innovations science-à-pratique avec des activités élaborées conjointement qui sont utiles et ont un sens pour les familles. Cette section spéciale rassemble des articles sur un voyage de codécouverte entre des chercheurs, des cliniciens, et des parents durant le développement et le perfectionnement d'un nouveau dépistage relationnel dyadique à partir d'entretiens et de vidéos, et d'outils de suivi. Cette collection d'articles porte sur un éventail de sujets y compris la Santé Relationnelle Précoce (SRP), le développement et la validation du Dépistage de Santé Relationnelle Précoce, son application dans des contextes de recherche et dans des contextes cliniques, et des discussions attentionnées de perspectives multiples. Informé par des principes fondés sur la diversité, ce voyage met en évidence non seulement des approches scientifiques mais aussi des co-développements avec des familles d'approches équitables à la compréhension et au service des enfants ainsi que des personnes prenant soin d'eux.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Child Health , Caregivers , Child , Child, Preschool , Humans , Mental Health , Parents/psychologyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Major disruptions to higher education during COVID-19 resulted in a rapid shift to online learning and associated adaptations to teaching and assessment practices, including for postgraduate programs requiring practical skill development such as nursing and midwifery. Educator perspectives of this transition have not been widely studied. PURPOSE: This qualitative descriptive study aimed to describe Australian postgraduate Maternal, Child and Family Health nurse educators' perceptions of COVID-19 impacts on student knowledge of theory and practice, and lessons learned through their responses. METHOD: Semi-structured interviews were reflexively thematically analyzed. RESULTS: All participants recognized struggles, opportunities and innovations within three key themes: "We've learned how to be flexible": Grappling with COVID-safe teaching and assessment; "Chat rooms and Zoomland": Learning in a virtual community; and "We've had a few struggles": Clinical placement tensions. Educators described a sense of uncertainty, increased flexibility, opportunities for change and new ways of connecting. They adapted by developing new online resources and broadening clinical practicum and assessment requirements to address new practice approaches including telehealth. CONCLUSIONS: Rapidly changing practice requirements and concerns about risk of disease transfer between workplace and placement venues restricted placement opportunities. Educators learned and incorporated new skills and strategies into their teaching, while aiming to meet professional expectations and maintain quality of education. Some strategies are likely to be maintained for future education programs.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Education, Nursing , Australia , Child , Child Health , Faculty, Nursing , HumansABSTRACT
Background: To clarify the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the policies and practices of delivery facilities in Japan from April 2020 to March 2021. Methods: We conducted an online survey of midwives working in obstetric wards nationwide between May 15, 2021, and July 31, 2021. We analyzed the 376 valid responses. Results: With the COVID-19 pandemic, most facilities have barred or partially restricted families and other visitors from being present (patient companions) in outpatient clinics, prenatal classes, during delivery, inpatient care, and inpatient visits. These changes were implemented nationwide, regardless of regional differences in the pandemic state of COVID-19. Meanwhile, by facility classification, prenatal classes, companion at birth, and inpatient visits were more likely to be canceled at perinatal centers than at clinics. The acceptance of “satogaeri deliveries” (a custom in Japan where pregnant women return to their natal homes for labor and childbirth) was partially restricted to about 40% of facilities, although this rate was lower in the four Kanto prefectures (Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, and Chiba). Conclusions: With the COVID-19 pandemic, the differences in Japan’s policies and practices of delivery facilities were attributed more to the role played by facilities in the regional perinatal system than to regional pandemic status. © 2022 S.O.G. CANADA Inc.. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
Breastfeeding is critical to maternal and child health and survival, and the benefits persist until later in life. Inappropriate marketing of breastmilk substitutes (BMS), feeding bottles, and teats threatens the enabling environment of breastfeeding, and exacerbates child mortality, morbidity, and malnutrition, especially in the context of COVID-19. These tactics also violate the International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes. This study identified marketing tactics of BMS companies since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic by reviewing promotional materials and activities from 9 companies in 14 countries, and the official Code reporting data from the Philippines. Eight qualitative themes emerged that indicate companies are capitalizing on fear related to COVID-19 by using health claims and misinformation about breastfeeding. Other promotional tactics such as donations and services were used to harness the public sentiment of hope and solidarity. Past studies show that these tactics are not new, but the pandemic has provided a new entry point, helped along by the unprecedented boom in digital marketing. There was a sharp increase of reported violations in the Philippines since the pandemic: 291 during the first months of the outbreak compared with 70 in all of 2019, corroborating the thematic findings. A lack of public awareness about the harm of donations and inadequate Code implementation and enforcement have exacerbated these problems. Proposed immediate action includes using monitoring findings to inform World Health Assembly (WHA) actions, targeted enforcement, and addressing misinformation about breastfeeding in the context of COVID-19. Longer-term action includes holding social media platforms accountable, raising public awareness on the Code, and mobilizing community monitoring.