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Quality of health care around the time of childbirth during the COVID-19 pandemic : Results from the IMAgiNE EURO study in Norway and trends over time

Nedberg, Ingvild Hersoug ; Vik, Eline Skirnisdottir ; Kongslien, Sigrun ; Mariani, Ilaria ; Valente, Emanuelle Pessa ; Covi, Benedetta and Lazzerini, Marzia (2022) In International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics 159(S1). p.85-96
Abstract

Objective: To describe maternal perception of the quality of maternal and newborn care (QMNC) in facilities in Norway during the first year of COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Women who gave birth in a Norwegian facility from March 1, 2020, to October 28, 2021, filled out a structured online questionnaire based on 40 WHO standards-based quality measures. Quantile regression analysis was performed to assess changes in QMNC index over time. Results: Among 3326 women included, 3085 experienced labor. Of those, 1799 (58.3%) reported that their partner could not be present as much as needed, 918 (29.8%) noted inadequate staff numbers, 183 (43.6%) lacked a consent request for instrumental vaginal birth (IVB), 1067 (34.6%) reported inadequate... (More)

Objective: To describe maternal perception of the quality of maternal and newborn care (QMNC) in facilities in Norway during the first year of COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Women who gave birth in a Norwegian facility from March 1, 2020, to October 28, 2021, filled out a structured online questionnaire based on 40 WHO standards-based quality measures. Quantile regression analysis was performed to assess changes in QMNC index over time. Results: Among 3326 women included, 3085 experienced labor. Of those, 1799 (58.3%) reported that their partner could not be present as much as needed, 918 (29.8%) noted inadequate staff numbers, 183 (43.6%) lacked a consent request for instrumental vaginal birth (IVB), 1067 (34.6%) reported inadequate communication from staff, 78 (18.6%) reported fundal pressure during IVB, 670 (21.7%) reported that they were not treated with dignity, and 249 (8.1%) reported experiencing abuse. The QMNC index increased gradually over time (3.68 points per month, 95% CI, 2.83–4.53 for the median), with the domains of COVID-19 reorganizational changes and experience of care displaying the greatest increases, while provision of care was stable over time. Conclusion: Although several measures showed high QMNC in Norway during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, and a gradual improvement over time, several findings suggest that gaps in QMNC exist. These gaps should be addressed and monitored.

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author
; ; ; ; ; and
contributor
Ćerimagić, Amira ; LU orcid ; LU orcid and Mueller, Antonia N
author collaboration
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
childbirth, COVID-19, healthcare facility, IMAgiNE EURO, maternal health, Norway, quality of care, WHO standards
in
International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics
volume
159
issue
S1
pages
85 - 96
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • scopus:85144315724
  • pmid:36530008
ISSN
0020-7292
DOI
10.1002/ijgo.14460
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © 2022 The Authors. International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics.
id
ab129179-74b1-43b4-80af-7602cfbe3db7
date added to LUP
2023-01-07 14:56:44
date last changed
2025-10-15 17:18:37
@article{ab129179-74b1-43b4-80af-7602cfbe3db7,
  abstract     = {{<p>Objective: To describe maternal perception of the quality of maternal and newborn care (QMNC) in facilities in Norway during the first year of COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Women who gave birth in a Norwegian facility from March 1, 2020, to October 28, 2021, filled out a structured online questionnaire based on 40 WHO standards-based quality measures. Quantile regression analysis was performed to assess changes in QMNC index over time. Results: Among 3326 women included, 3085 experienced labor. Of those, 1799 (58.3%) reported that their partner could not be present as much as needed, 918 (29.8%) noted inadequate staff numbers, 183 (43.6%) lacked a consent request for instrumental vaginal birth (IVB), 1067 (34.6%) reported inadequate communication from staff, 78 (18.6%) reported fundal pressure during IVB, 670 (21.7%) reported that they were not treated with dignity, and 249 (8.1%) reported experiencing abuse. The QMNC index increased gradually over time (3.68 points per month, 95% CI, 2.83–4.53 for the median), with the domains of COVID-19 reorganizational changes and experience of care displaying the greatest increases, while provision of care was stable over time. Conclusion: Although several measures showed high QMNC in Norway during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, and a gradual improvement over time, several findings suggest that gaps in QMNC exist. These gaps should be addressed and monitored.</p>}},
  author       = {{Nedberg, Ingvild Hersoug and Vik, Eline Skirnisdottir and Kongslien, Sigrun and Mariani, Ilaria and Valente, Emanuelle Pessa and Covi, Benedetta and Lazzerini, Marzia}},
  issn         = {{0020-7292}},
  keywords     = {{childbirth; COVID-19; healthcare facility; IMAgiNE EURO; maternal health; Norway; quality of care; WHO standards}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{S1}},
  pages        = {{85--96}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics}},
  title        = {{Quality of health care around the time of childbirth during the COVID-19 pandemic : Results from the IMAgiNE EURO study in Norway and trends over time}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ijgo.14460}},
  doi          = {{10.1002/ijgo.14460}},
  volume       = {{159}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}