Maternal and child health during the <scp>COVID</scp>‐19 pandemic: Contributions in the field of human biology

Gildner, Theresa E.; Thayer, Zaneta M.

doi:10.1002/ajhb.23494

Cited by 24 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…In sum, our findings suggest that the severe financial impacts of the COVID‐19 pandemic have affected mental health for pregnant women living in the U.S. Human biologists should consider the long‐term impacts of COVID‐19‐related stressors—including financial stress—on maternal and offspring health (Gildner & Thayer, 2020).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

COVID‐19‐related financial stress associated with higher likelihood of depression among pregnant women living in the United States

Thayer

Gildner

2020

American J Hum Biol

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Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to unprecedented levels of unemployment and financial strain for many Americans. Among the individuals impacted by financial strain are pregnant women, for whom added financial stress may be particularly impactful due to the costs associated with prenatal care and providing for a newborn. Financial stress has been previously associated with elevated depression symptoms among pregnant women, which could have significant impacts on birth outcomes and long-term offspring health. However, the impacts of COVID-19-associated financial stress on maternal depression in pregnancy has not been investigated. Methods: Here, we evaluated whether COVID-19-associated financial stress was associated with increased likelihood of a clinically significant depression score (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Score ≥ 15) among pregnant women living in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data come from an online survey administered to a convenience sample in April 2020 (N = 2099). Results: Forty-three percent of participants reported experiencing financial stress as a result of the pandemic, while 24% of participants had a clinically significant depression score. COVID-19-related financial stress was significantly associated with increased likelihood of a clinically significant depression score, even after adjustment for covariates including participant education and income (adjusted Odds Ratio: 2.23, 95% CI = 1.80, 2.77, P < .001). Conclusions: Financial stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is associated with more than two times the likelihood of depression during pregnancy, which could impact birth outcomes and long-term offspring health.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

COVID‐19‐related financial stress associated with higher likelihood of depression among pregnant women living in the United States

Thayer

Gildner

2020

American J Hum Biol

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“…Even in resource rich settings like United States, healthcare providers have been motivated with bonuses and incentives in addition to the readily available personal protective equipment at all levels since healthcare providers are invaluable in controlling and managing the COVID-19 pandemic [54]. If at all the cries of the healthcare providers at the frontlines are addressed [7], the level of service delivery could improve thereby improving the quality of care in maternal and newborn health.…”

Section: Plos Onementioning

confidence: 99%

Lived experiences of frontline healthcare providers offering maternal and newborn services amidst the novel corona virus disease 19 pandemic in Uganda: A qualitative study

Kayiga

Genevive²,

Amuge

et al. 2021

PLoS ONE

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Background The COVID-19 pandemic has brought many health systems in low resource settings to their knees. The pandemic has had crippling effects on the already strained health systems in provision of maternal and newborn healthcare. With the travel restrictions, social distancing associated with the containment of theCOVID-19 pandemic, healthcare providers could be faced with challenges of accessing their work stations, and risked burnout as they offered maternal and newborn services. This study sought to understand the experiences and perceptions of healthcare providers at the frontline during the first phase of the lockdown as they offered maternal and newborn health care services in both public and private health facilities in Uganda with the aim of streamlining patient care in face of the current COVID-19 pandemic and in future disasters. Methods Between June 2020 and December 2020, 25 in-depth interviews were conducted among healthcare providers of different cadres in eight Public, Private-Not-for Profit and Private Health facilities in Kampala, Uganda. The interview guide primarily explored the lived experiences of healthcare providers as they offered maternal and newborn healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic. All of the in depth interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Themes and subthemes were identified using both inductive thematic and phenomenological approaches. Results The content analysis of the in depth interviews revealed that the facilitators of maternal and newborn care service delivery among the healthcare providers during the COVID-19 pandemic included; salary bonuses, the passion to serve their patients, availability of accommodation during the pandemic, transportation to and from the health facilities by the health facilities, teamwork, fear of losing their jobs and fear of litigation if something went wrong with the mothers or their babies. The barriers to their service delivery included; lack of transport means to access their work stations, fear of contracting COVID-19 and transmitting it to their family members, salary cuts, loss of jobs especially in the private health facilities, closure of the non-essential services to combat high patient numbers, inadequate supply of Personal Protective equipment (PPE), being put in isolation or quarantine for two weeks which meant no earning, brutality from the security personnel during curfew hours and burnout from long hours of work and high patient turnovers. Conclusion The COVID-19 Pandemic has led to a decline in quality of maternal and newborn service delivery by the healthcare providers as evidenced by shorter consultation time and failure to keep appointments to attend to patients. Challenges with transport, fears of losing jobs and fear of contracting COVID-19 with the limited access to personal protective equipment affected majority of the participants. The healthcare providers in Uganda despite the limitations imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic are driven by the inherent passion to serve their patients. Availability of accommodation and transport at the health facilities, provision of PPE, bonuses and inter professional teamwork are critical motivators that needed to be tapped to drive teams during the current and future pandemics.

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“…Some researchers theorize that the interaction between COVID‐19 and systemic racism‐associated psychosocial stress may function to worsen pregnancy outcomes in communities of color 20 . It has been proposed that COVID‐19 produces a hyperinflammatory state resulting in hypoxic injury and vascular changes in the expression of angiotensin converting enzyme‐2 21 .…”

Section: Systemic Racism Perinatal Disparities and Covid‐19mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…19 Some researchers theorize that the interaction between COVID-19 and systemic racism-associated psychosocial stress may function to worsen pregnancy outcomes in communities of color. 20 It has been proposed that COVID-19 produces a hyperinflammatory state resulting in hypoxic injury and vascular changes in the expression of angiotensin converting enzyme-2. 21 These changes in inflammatory and cardiovascular physiology may indirectly increase mortality risk via the development of health conditions known to be associated with maternal mortality that are commonly identified in populations of color, including preeclampsia and cardiovascular disorders.…”

Section: Systemic Racism Perinatal Disparities and Covid-19mentioning

confidence: 99%

The Convergence of COVID‐19 and Systemic Racism: An Evaluation of Current Evidence, Health System Changes, and Solutions Grounded in Reproductive Justice

Britt

Carlson

Joseph

et al. 2021

J Midwife Womens Health

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Maternal and child health during the COVID‐19 pandemic: Contributions in the field of human biology

Cited by 24 publications

References 40 publications

COVID‐19‐related financial stress associated with higher likelihood of depression among pregnant women living in the United States

COVID‐19‐related financial stress associated with higher likelihood of depression among pregnant women living in the United States

Lived experiences of frontline healthcare providers offering maternal and newborn services amidst the novel corona virus disease 19 pandemic in Uganda: A qualitative study

The Convergence of COVID‐19 and Systemic Racism: An Evaluation of Current Evidence, Health System Changes, and Solutions Grounded in Reproductive Justice

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