Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic was highly disruptive for people delivering babies in-hospital and for obstetrical healthcare professionals. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of people with or without COVID-19 giving birth in a community-based hospital to provide patient insight to obstetrical care providers regarding the services/policies used during the pandemic. Nine interviews were conducted with participants within six months of giving birth in-hospital – four who tested positive for COVID-19 and five who tested negative. Seven themes were identified in the analysis: conflicting emotions; experiences of COVID-related protocols; altered experiences of pregnancy and birth; other aspects of in-hospital care; support from family and friends; interactions and communications with the healthcare team; and seeking information. Results were positively received by the perinatal clinical team and changes were identified to further improve experiences of care. A deeper understanding of patients' lived experiences of hospital services available during public health emergencies can offer important, actionable information for healthcare providers.
Recommended Citation
Hoosein S, Winchester P, Babinski S, Smith N, Bhavsar P, Law S. An Exploratory Qualitative Study of Perinatal Experiences in an Acute Setting during Early Phases of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Patient Experience Journal. 2024; 11(3):85-96. doi: 10.35680/2372-0247.1896.
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