Birthing under the Condition of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Germany: Interviews with Mothers, Partners, and Obstetric Health Care Workers

Martina Schmiedhofer, Christina Derksen, Johanna Elisa Dietl, Freya Häussler, Frank Louwen, Beate Hüner, Frank Reister, Reinhard Strametz and Sonia Lippke
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Martina Schmiedhofer: German Coalition for Patient Safety (Aktionsbündnis Patientensicherheit), 10179 Berlin, Germany
Christina Derksen: Department of Psychology & Methods, Jacobs University Bremen GmbH, 28759 Bremen, Germany
Johanna Elisa Dietl: German Coalition for Patient Safety (Aktionsbündnis Patientensicherheit), 10179 Berlin, Germany
Freya Häussler: German Coalition for Patient Safety (Aktionsbündnis Patientensicherheit), 10179 Berlin, Germany
Frank Louwen: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Division of Obstetrics and Prenatal Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Beate Hüner: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Ulm, 89070 Ulm, Germany
Frank Reister: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Ulm, 89070 Ulm, Germany
Reinhard Strametz: German Coalition for Patient Safety (Aktionsbündnis Patientensicherheit), 10179 Berlin, Germany
Sonia Lippke: Department of Psychology & Methods, Jacobs University Bremen GmbH, 28759 Bremen, Germany

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 3, 1-24

Abstract: Background: The COVID-19 pandemic and the necessary containment measures challenge obstetric care. Support persons were excluded while protection measures burdened and disrupted the professionals’ ability to care and communicate. The objective of this study was to explore the first-hand experience of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mothers, their partners, and obstetric professionals regarding birth and obstetric care in a university hospital. Methods: To answer the descriptive research questions, we conducted a qualitative content analysis using a data triangulation approach. We carried out 35 semi-structured interviews with two stratified purposive samples. Sample one consisted of 25 mothers who had given birth during the pandemic and five partners. Sample two included 10 obstetric professionals whose insights complemented the research findings and contributed to data validation. Participants were recruited from the study sample of a larger project on patient safety from two German university hospitals from February to August 2021. The study was approved by two ethics committees and informed consent was obtained. Results: Mothers complied with the rules, but felt socially isolated and insecure, especially before transfer to the delivery room. The staff equally reported burdens from their professional perspective: They tried to make up for the lack of partner and social contacts but could not live up to their usual professional standards. The exclusion of partners was seen critically, but necessary to contain the pandemic. The undisturbed time for bonding in the maternity ward was considered positive by both mothers and professionals. Conclusion: The negative effects of risk mitigation measures on childbirth are to be considered carefully when containment measures are applied.

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic; obstetrics; birth; qualitative research; delivery; obstetric health care workers; HCW; patient safety; health care research (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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