The experiences of childbearing women who tested positive to COVID-19 during the pandemic in northern Italy.
Simona Fumagalli, Sara Ornaghi, Sara Borrelli and 2 others
PMID 33451929WHAT IT FOUND
Women who tested positive for COVID-19 while giving birth described the experience as traumatic, driven by sudden isolation, mandatory transfer to unfamiliar hospitals, and being separated from their partners and newborns.
They valued midwives' compassionate support but suffered from limited contact with staff and family.
Key findings
01The most distressing aspects of the birth experience were sudden family separation, self-isolation, the inability for a partner to be present during labour, and the use of masks and gloves when interacting with the newborn.
02Mandatory transfer to a referral centre generated anxiety and feelings of loneliness, particularly when it occurred via ambulance with no accompanying person and no pre-warning.
03While women praised midwives for their compassion and professional competence, they reported that the necessary reduction in physical contact with staff during the hospital stay accentuated their loneliness.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study was conducted in a specific region of Northern Italy during the first wave of the pandemic, which may limit generalisability to other contexts or later pandemic phases. Most interviews were conducted via phone or video, meaning interviewers could not account for non-verbal cues. The sample size was small (22 women), and participants were recruited from a specific referral hub, potentially skewing the experience towards those with more complex transfers. The study relies on self-reported experiences, which are subject to recall bias.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The project was self-funded.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the trauma described by these women as a result of poor clinical care or negligence. The study attributes the distress primarily to the necessary but restrictive public health measures (isolation, PPE, transfer) and the unknown nature of the virus at the time, rather than a failure of the healthcare team, who were often praised for their compassion.