Becoming a mother in the 'new' social world in Australia during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Linda Sweet, Zoe Bradfield, Vidanka Vasilevski and 6 others
PMID 33813305WHAT IT FOUND
Australian women described becoming a mother during first-wave restrictions as isolating because they attended care appointments alone, support people were limited, and information was unclear.
Some used online groups and self-advocacy, but these are experiences, not tested services.
Key findings
01Women described maternity as isolating because they attended appointments alone, faced restrictions on visitors and family support, and still wanted social support.
02All participants sought reliable information about COVID-19, care access, and restrictions, and some said telehealth appointments did not adequately cover pregnancy and birth basics.
03Women felt they had to advocate for themselves or others, including seeking clarification, following up test results, and gaining additional appointments.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Participants were a convenience non-random selection of survey respondents, so the findings may not represent women who did not complete the survey or agree to interview. The study included 27 women from Australia during the first wave of the pandemic, so it describes experiences in one time and place, not outcomes for all childbearing women. It is qualitative work, so the themes are what women reported, not evidence that any service model, telehealth approach, or peer support programme works.
Declared interests
Funding: Institute for Health Transformation, Faculty of Health, Deakin University. The authors declared no competing interests.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that telehealth, peer support, or self-advocacy improve maternal outcomes. The study describes what women experienced and did during restrictions, not whether any approach worked.