Quality of maternal and neonatal care during COVID-19 pandemic in Italy – preliminary data from Friuli Venezia Giulia Region.

IMAgiNE Regional Project.

Abstract

Access to high quality of maternal and neonatal care (QMNC) was threatened in different settings during COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed at reporting preliminary data from IMAgiNE regional project regarding QMNC around facility-based childbirth during pandemic in Italy. The project is a quality improvement study for the implementation of WHO standards for maternal and newborn health in nine maternity hospitals in a Northeast Region, Italy. Data was collected through a validated telephone interview questionnaire from November 2019-October 2020. A total 2704 women were interviewed. Most of them were primiparous (1388, 51.3%), median age of 33.5 years old (range 18-55). More than a half, 1706 women (63.1%) had birth during COVID-19 pandemic. Spontaneous vaginal birth was the most frequent mode of birth (1942 women, 71.8%) with 257 (13.2%) of women receiving an episiotomy and 133 (6.8%) reporting Kristeller manoeuvre. Privacy was respected in most of births (2610 women, 96.5%) while only few abuse cases were reported (0.3% verbal/emotional, 0.3% physical). For 837 (49.1%) of women antenatal services were adequately reorganized during pandemic. Limitations for companionship was the most frequently reported. Overall, 95% of women reported a positive or very positive experience. Study findings highlights that most women are satisfied with care received however many aspects of the QMNC were substandard according to their perspectives. The project is ongoing and further publications will document possible indicator’s trends and implementation level of quality improvement recommendations agreed for each service.

KEY WORDS: quality of care; WHO standards; COVID-19; childbirth.