The Impact of COVID-19 on the Monitoring of Pregnancy and Delivery of Pregnant Women in the Dominican Republic

Pregnancy monitoring is vital to guaranteeing that both the foetus and the mother are in optimal health conditions. WHO protocols recommend at least eight medical examinations during the pregnancy period. While the cancellation or reduction of appointments during pregnancy due to the pandemic may he...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Healthcare (Basel) 2022-11, Vol.10 (11), p.2266
Main Authors: Requena-Mullor, Mar, García-González, Jessica, Wei, Ruqiong, Romero-del Rey, Raúl, Alarcón-Rodríguez, Raquel
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
childbirth
Childbirth & labor
coronavirus
Coronaviruses
COVID-19
Dominican Republic
Epidemics
Evaluation
Forecasts and trends
Influence
Management
Maternal health services
perinatal care
Pregnancy
pregnancy outcomes
Pregnant women
Womens health
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Summary:Pregnancy monitoring is vital to guaranteeing that both the foetus and the mother are in optimal health conditions. WHO protocols recommend at least eight medical examinations during the pregnancy period. While the cancellation or reduction of appointments during pregnancy due to the pandemic may help reduce the risk of infection, it could also negatively influence perinatal outcomes and the birthing process. The aim of this research was to analyse the differences in perinatal outcomes and birth characteristics in two groups of pregnant women: women who gave birth before and during the pandemic, and whether these differences are due to changes in pregnancy monitoring because of the COVID-19 situation. A retrospective study was carried out from July 2018 to December 2021, at the Santo Domingo Hospital (Dominican Republic). A total of 1109 primiparous pregnant women were recruited for this study during the birthing process and perinatal visits. The results describe how women who gave birth before the pandemic had greater control and monitoring of their pregnancy, more doctor visits (p = 0.001), fewer caesarean sections (p = 0.006), and more skin-to-skin contact after birth (p = 0.02). During the COVID-19 pandemic, pregnant women’s attendance at routine pregnancy monitoring, both doctor visits and ultrasound scans, has decreased, leading to an increase in the number of caesarean and instrumental deliveries. At the perinatal level, processes such as skin-to-skin contact after birth between mother and newborn or the introduction of early breastfeeding in the delivery room have also been reduced.
ISSN:2227-9032
2227-9032
DOI:10.3390/healthcare10112266