Perinatal experiences during Covid-19 in Scotland
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Perinatal experiences during the Covid-19 pandemic in Scotland: exploring the impact of changes in maternity services on women and staff
IRAS ID
289009
Contact name
Albert Farre
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Dundee
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 5 months, 6 days
Research summary
Summary of research
Public Health Scotland have commissioned a piece of research to ensure understanding of how the pandemic-related changes to maternity care across Scotland have been experienced by women and staff. Using both a survey and qualitative interviews with women and maternity staff, the team will explore how the changes have impacted differently on women from a range of backgrounds, with a focus on inequalities. The impact on staff will be considered with respect to professional groups, models of care and geographical locations. Any new non-NHS sources of support that have emerged as important will be explored.
Survey delivery will be via the Badgernet portal where this is used, but where this is not used it will utilise professional networks to allow women to receive a survey link by either email or text message. Staff will also be invited via these networks (eg. Heads of Midwifery, Midwifery Team Leaders, Clinical Directors, Scanning Leads, Pregnancy Support Team Leads). The survey will provide an opportunity for individuals to volunteer to take part in the qualitative interviews. The professional networks will also be utilised to send email invitations to staff to take part in interviews (online video or telephone interviews).
The research team will use the findings to identify which changes should be considered to remain in the longer-term and which should be reversed. They will also highlight areas of unmet need with respect to physical and emotional wellbeing in women and maternity staff. The researchers are based at the Universities of Dundee and Aberdeen.Summary of Results
This study looked at changes in the provision of maternity care during the pandemic and their impacts on patients and staff.
The study surveyed and interviewed more than 2500 women and birthing people, and more than 450 maternity staff who used or were working in maternity services from June 2020 – July 2021.
Overall, care during labour and after the birth (in labour ward/midwifery unit/at home) was well received by the vast majority of women with 86% rating their care during labour as excellent or good and 76% rating their care after birth as excellent or good.
However, the findings also revealed that substantial stress was caused by women not having birthing partners present at various points during antenatal and postnatal care and during the early stages of labour.
Among women responding to the survey, most (89%) reported attending antenatal appointments alone, with 67% reporting feeling uncomfortable with this.
After giving birth most women (73%) felt they should have been able to have their partner/a supportive person with them more often in the postnatal ward.
Many women noted that restrictions around partners being with them after the birth had felt excessive, and the rationale for the restrictions not well communicated.
The study also revealed Covid restrictions impacted connections between women and healthcare workers, with 40% saying that telephone appointments (instead of in-person) stopped them from building a good relationship with their midwife/doctor.
Some examples of excellent, innovative, or supportive care were described, where midwives in particular went out of their way to provide personalised support to women.
Appointments at home were very well received (both antenatal and postnatal) with postnatal care at home described very positively as being family centred.
Four out of five staff who witnessed an increase in outpatient induction of labour would like to see this remain in the longer-term – this change was linked to increased job satisfaction for 45% of staff.
The full study report has been published on the Public Health Scotland website and can be accessed here: https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fu2790089.ct.sendgrid.net%2Fls%2Fclick%3Fupn%3DXv3JSvJ-2B3M71ppf7N9agbe7U904F0X8X2-2FastlD9YI3-2Fg7ePJqVBET6RsFbfgE-2BW4Vgxk5Y7yXrrnVSqqUGyBRmVage9Vbn0Nph9jTWnI2o7hr25wWRxgefLTHko4F5NcV66QzdPxvCZEg4fXLf92u0vVaF3SThlXiSZ4FFuN8I-3De7Wu_E1aO2-2BZlVOSJJV-2FajQqskegTd6IRomHYTi-2Fbt8SH3YK2Rlr3j4mEmP1kjnRQ-2F4yCft3hrySt-2BS5HS-2FTVJhOSIRO1ewi2OHniQtuYwXqMNwfKD0TxsUNooyJTQMtlipVboyZGWq9ltD7nSKuCAXsYDfTTkcHAZ7CvzgB-2BAKtAS9gLwneYS3H1UxJcHtQM3A5GMKcN-2FgQL2UAOlMhIEAZ2dg-3D-3D&data=05%7C01%7Capprovals%40hra.nhs.uk%7Ccf4d6cb7eb264dbfec6a08daab9a7c15%7C8e1f0acad87d4f20939e36243d574267%7C0%7C0%7C638010977236661125%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=sP6%2FTjAlX7ZFRsxoatpgz03FYe1S2K0eZ7juvEjLLPc%3D&reserved=0REC name
London - Brighton & Sussex Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/PR/0067
Date of REC Opinion
1 Apr 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion