Antenatal care experiences of uninfected pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative systematic review

Abstract

Background: There is a limited understanding of pregnant women's antenatal care experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Purpose: To review and synthesize qualitative studies on uninfected pregnant women's antenatal care experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Five databases were searched for qualitative studies published between January 2020 and January 2023. This study used a thematic synthesis of qualita-tive evidence and was guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. Furthermore, this review was registered with PROSPERO and a quality appraisal was assessed. Results: Nine published qualitative studies were included in this review. The stud-ies were conducted in eight countries and included 3,709 participants. Five themes were identified: (a) disruptions of normal antenatal care services, (b) feelings of uncertainty, (c) desire for sufficient spousal support, (d) coping strate-gies, and (e) trust in health care providers. Discussion and Conclusion: The themes can be utilized to reform current interven-tions for pregnant women by nurse-midwife managers and by health care poli-cymakers to improve current practice and direct new research to prepare for future pandemics. Cite this article: Joo, J.Y., Liu, M.F., (2023, May/June). Antenatal care experiences of uninfected pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative systematic review. Nurs Outlook, 71(3), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2023.101964.