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. 2022 Jun 20;58(6):831.
doi: 10.3390/medicina58060831.

Determinants of Place of Delivery during the COVID-19 Pandemic-Internet Survey in Polish Pregnant Women

Mateusz Strózik  1 , Lukasz Szarpak  2   3 , Ishag Adam  4 , Jacek Smereka  1
Affiliations

Determinants of Place of Delivery during the COVID-19 Pandemic-Internet Survey in Polish Pregnant Women

Mateusz Strózik et al. Medicina (Kaunas). .

Abstract

Background and Objectives: COVID-19 is a pandemic disease, and its unpredictable outcome makes it particularly dangerous, especially for pregnant women. One of the decisions they have to make is where they will give birth. This study aimed to determine the factors influencing the choice of place of delivery and the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on these factors. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted on 517 respondents from Poland. The research methods comprised the authors' own survey questionnaire distributed via the Internet from 8 to 23 June 2021. The survey was fully anonymous, voluntary, and addressed to women who gave birth during the pandemic or will give birth shortly. Results: A total of 440 (85.1%) respondents were afraid of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The most frequently indicated factors were fear of complications in the newborn, fear of intrauterine fetal death, and congenital disabilities in a newborn. A total of 74 (14.3%) women considered home delivery. The main factors that discouraged the choice of home birth were the lack of professional medical care 73.1% (N = 378), the lack of anesthesia 23.6% (N = 122), and the presence of indications for caesarean section 23.4% (N = 121). The possibility of mother-child isolation caused the greatest fear about hospital delivery. During the COVID-19 pandemic, pregnant women concerned about SARS-CoV-2 infection were more likely to consider home delivery than those without such fears. The most important factors affecting the choice of the place of delivery included the possibility of a partner's presence, excellent sanitary conditions and optimal distance from the hospital, and the availability of epidural analgesia for delivery. Conclusions: Our study identifies the determinants of place of delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic. The data we obtained can result in the healthcare system considering patients' needs in case of similar crisis in the future.

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic; homebirth; pregnancy.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The frequency analysis graph for the answer to the question “Does the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic have/had an impact on the choice of delivery place?”.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The frequency analysis graph for the answer to the question “Were you afraid of SARS-CoV-2 infection during your pregnancy?”.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Factors that cause anxiety in pregnant women about the risk of COVID-19 infection.
Figure 4
Figure 4
The frequency analysis graph for the answer to the question “How has the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic affected your pregnancy visits?”.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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