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;
Lazzerini, Marzia;
IMAgiNE EURO study group;
(2022)
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.
International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics, 159.
pp. 85-96.
ISSN 0020-7292
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ijgo.14460
Permanent Identifier
Use this Digital Object Identifier when citing or linking to this resource.
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.