Abstract
BackgroundThe pandemic caused by COVID-19 has affected reproductive and perinatal health both through the infection itself and, indirectly, as a consequence of changes in medical care, social policy or social and economic circumstances.The objective of this study is to explore the impact of the pandemic and of the measures adopted on breastfeeding initiation and maintenance.MethodsA qualitative descriptive study was conducted by means in-depth semi-structured interviews, until reaching data saturation. The study was conducted between the months of January to May 2021. Participants were recruited by midwives from the Primary Care Centres of the Andalusian provinces provinces of Seville, Cádiz, Huelva, Granada, and Jaén. The interviews were conducted via phone call and were subsequently transcribed and analysed by means of reflexive inductive thematic analysis, using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis.ResultsA total of 30 interviews were conducted. Five main themes and ten subthemes were developed, namely: Information received (access to the information, figure who provided the information), unequal support from the professionals during the pandemic (support to postpartum hospitalization, support received from Primary Health Care during the postpartum period), social and family support about breastfeeding (support groups, family support), impact of confinement and of social restriction measures (positive influence on breastfeeding, influence on bonding with the newborn), emotional effect of the pandemic (insecurity and fear related to contagion by coronavirus, feelings of loneliness).ConclusionThe use of online breastfeeding support groups through applications such as WhatsApp®, Facebook® or Instagram® has provided important breastfeeding information and support sources. The main figure identified that has provided formal breastfeeding support during this period was that of the midwife. In addition, the social restrictions inherent to the pandemic have exerted a positive effect for women in bonding and breastfeeding, as a consequence of the increase in the time spent at their homes and in the family nucleus co-living.
Highlights
The pandemic caused by COVID-19 has affected reproductive and perinatal health both through the infection itself and, indirectly, as a consequence of changes in medical care, social policy or social and economic circumstances.The objective of this study is to explore the impact of the pandemic and of the measures adopted on breastfeeding initiation and maintenance
On 11th March, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a worldwide health emergency and pandemic due to exponential number of contagions caused by the new type of virus from the family Coronaviridae, COVID-19 [1, 2]
The pandemic caused by COVID-19 has affected reproductive and perinatal health both directly through the infection itself and, indirectly, as a consequence of changes in medical care, due to social policy or social and economic circumstances [10]
Summary
The pandemic caused by COVID-19 has affected reproductive and perinatal health both through the infection itself and, indirectly, as a consequence of changes in medical care, social policy or social and economic circumstances.The objective of this study is to explore the impact of the pandemic and of the measures adopted on breastfeeding initiation and maintenance. At the beginning of the pandemic, information about this new coronavirus was limited: it was not known if it could be vertically transmitted from the mother to the baby in utero or after giving birth, through direct airways, inhalation, or breastfeeding (BF) [8]. This lack of information lead to the publication of misinformation and/or publication of contradictory information by institutions and caused the preventive interruption of the usual hospital practices, separating women from their newborns and partners during and after delivery, or even advising against breastfeeding [9]. The pandemic caused by COVID-19 has affected reproductive and perinatal health both directly through the infection itself and, indirectly, as a consequence of changes in medical care, due to social policy or social and economic circumstances [10]
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