Effect of COVID-19 on antenatal care: experiences of medical professionals in the Netherlands

Abstract

Plain Language summary COVID-19 has affected the delivery of healthcare services globally. Antenatal care is one of the healthcare services that has been impacted on a global scale. Little is known about how antenatal care provision has changed in the Netherlands during the pandemic period. Our project focuses on examining the effects of COVID-19 on existing antenatal care protocols, as well as the impacts on antenatal care providers, such as midwives and gynaecologists. This knowledge can be beneficial in adapting antenatal care provision in times of health emergencies, to be better prepared and more resilient. This research uses a qualitative approach to investigate changes in practice following COVID-19 pandemic. It involves 20 antenatal care providers, working in the Netherlands, which took part in semi-structured interviews, and 9 national protocols and guidelines which were analysed. This study indicates that antenatal care changed at different levels in the Netherlands. Many changes show that antenatal care is an essential service, which should not be cut back, but it should be implemented, to be prepared for a future health emergency.

Keywords

• Antenatal care (ANC)
• COVID-19
• Gynaecologists
• Midwives