TY - JOUR
T1 - Association of continuity of carer and women's experiences of maternity care during the COVID-19 pandemic
T2 - a cross-sectional survey
AU - Cummins, Allison
AU - Sheehy, Annabel
AU - Taylor, Jan
AU - DeVitry-Smith, Sally
AU - Nightingale, Helen
AU - Davis, Deborah
N1 - Funding Information:
Professor Deborah Davis received some funding to pay for social media targeted distribution of the flyer from the University of Canberra, Australia.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023
PY - 2023/9
Y1 - 2023/9
N2 - Background: Recent research highlights the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternity services, although none to date have analysed the association between continuity of carer and how women felt about the changes to pregnancy care and birth plans. Aim: To describe pregnant women's self-reported changes to their planned pregnancy care and associations between continuity of carer and how women feel about changes to their planned care. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey of pregnant women aged over 18 years in their final trimester of pregnancy in Australia. Findings: 1668 women completed the survey. Most women reported at least one change to pregnancy care and birthing plans. Women receiving full continuity of carer were more likely to rate the changes to care as neutral/positive (p<.001) when compared with women who received partial or no continuity. Discussion: Pregnant women experienced many changes to their planned pregnancy and birth care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Women who received full continuity of carer experienced fewer changes to care and were more likely to feel neutral/positive about the changes than women who did not receive full continuity of carer.
AB - Background: Recent research highlights the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternity services, although none to date have analysed the association between continuity of carer and how women felt about the changes to pregnancy care and birth plans. Aim: To describe pregnant women's self-reported changes to their planned pregnancy care and associations between continuity of carer and how women feel about changes to their planned care. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey of pregnant women aged over 18 years in their final trimester of pregnancy in Australia. Findings: 1668 women completed the survey. Most women reported at least one change to pregnancy care and birthing plans. Women receiving full continuity of carer were more likely to rate the changes to care as neutral/positive (p<.001) when compared with women who received partial or no continuity. Discussion: Pregnant women experienced many changes to their planned pregnancy and birth care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Women who received full continuity of carer experienced fewer changes to care and were more likely to feel neutral/positive about the changes than women who did not receive full continuity of carer.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85162187849&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.midw.2023.103761
DO - 10.1016/j.midw.2023.103761
M3 - Article
C2 - 37327712
SN - 0266-6138
VL - 124
SP - 1
EP - 9
JO - Midwifery
JF - Midwifery
M1 - 103761
ER -