Association of continuity of carer and women's experiences of maternity care during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional survey.
Allison Cummins, Annabel Sheehy, Jan Taylor and 3 others
PMID 37327712WHAT IT FOUND
Australian pregnant women who reported full continuity of carer were more likely to feel neutral or positive about changes to pregnancy care and birth plans during the pandemic, and reported fewer changes than women with no continuity.
Key findings
01Women with full continuity of carer were more than twice as likely to feel neutral or positive about changes to pregnancy care and three times as likely to feel neutral or positive about expected changes to birth plans than women with no continuity.
02Most women who answered felt negative about changes to pregnancy care (63%) and changes to birth plans (69%).
03Women with full continuity of carer reported fewer total changes to pregnancy care than women with partial or no continuity.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample was recruited through social media and researchers' networks, so it may not represent all Australian women giving birth. More than half of participants had a university degree, and the planned home birth rate was higher than the national average. Response bias may have occurred if women who felt more negative about care changes were more likely to respond. The survey was cross-sectional, so it cannot show that continuity of carer caused fewer changes or better feelings. Many birth plan changes were anticipated rather than experienced, because participants had not yet given birth. Women may have moved between models of care during the pandemic, and the survey did not capture this. The study did not calculate a separate power for this secondary aim. Participants interpreted 'change' themselves, so it could mean change from previous pregnancy, expectation, or pre-pandemic care.
Declared interests
The study received University of Canberra funding for targeted social media distribution of the survey flyer, and the authors declared no competing interests.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as proof that continuity of carer caused fewer changes or better feelings. The survey was cross-sectional, used a convenience sample, and many birth plan changes were anticipated rather than experienced, so it shows an association rather than a cause.