School of Public Health, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany.
Faculty of Engineering and Mathematics, University of Applied Sciences Bielefeld, 33619 Bielefeld, Germany.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Feb 3;20(3):2721. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20032721.
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to various challenges in German health care, including pregnancy care. This paper aims to provide an overview of the pandemic-related challenges faced by pregnant women, new mothers, and their families in maternal and newborn care. A literature review was performed by including international literature as well as recommendations of institutions and official stakeholders. These challenges refer to restrictions at all stages of pregnancy, including wearing masks during labour, limitations of a companion of choice during birth, and restrictions of unvaccinated women from attending, e.g., antenatal classes. Compared with the general population, COVID-19 vaccination of pregnant women was recommended later, as pregnant women were initially excluded from clinical trials. Women who gave birth during the COVID-19 pandemic also reported mental health issues. The findings stress the importance of the inclusion of pregnant women in clinical trials. This might also help to overcome vaccine hesitancy among pregnant women and women seeking family planning. Taking the COVID-19 pandemic as an example, one must weigh the changes and restrictions associated with the potential disadvantages for mothers, newborns, and their families in pregnancy care against the measures to control the pandemic.
新冠疫情给德国的医疗保健带来了各种挑战，包括妊娠保健。本文旨在概述疫情期间，孕妇、新妈妈及其家庭在母婴保健方面面临的挑战。本研究通过纳入国际文献以及机构和官方利益攸关方的建议，对相关文献进行了回顾。这些挑战涉及妊娠各个阶段的限制，包括分娩时戴口罩、限制选择陪产人员，以及未接种疫苗的妇女限制参加例如产前课程等。与一般人群相比，推荐孕妇较晚接种新冠疫苗，因为最初孕妇被排除在临床试验之外。在新冠疫情期间分娩的女性也报告了心理健康问题。这些发现强调了将孕妇纳入临床试验的重要性。这也可能有助于克服孕妇和寻求计划生育的女性对接种疫苗的犹豫。以新冠疫情为例，必须权衡与妊娠保健中母亲、新生儿及其家庭的潜在不利因素相关的变化和限制与控制疫情的措施。
