Quality of maternal and newborn care in Switzerland during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A cross‐sectional study based on WHO quality standards. Issue 1 (18th December 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: de Labrusse, Claire; Abderhalden‐Zellweger, Alessia; Mariani, Ilaria; Pfund, Anouck; Gemperle, Michael; Grylka‐Baeschlin, Susanne; Mueller, Antonia N.; Valente, Emanuelle Pessa; Covi, Benedetta; Lazzerini, Marzia
• Other Names: Ćerimagić Amira investigator.; Drandić Daniela investigator.; Kurbanović Magdalena investigator.; Virginie Rozée investigator.; de La Rochebrochard Elise investigator.; Löfgren Kristina investigator.; Miani Céline investigator.; Batram‐Zantvoort Stephanie investigator.; Wandschneider Lisa investigator.; Lazzerini Marzia investigator.; Valente Emanuelle Pessa investigator.; Covi Benedetta investigator.; Mariani Ilaria investigator.; Morano Sandra investigator.; Chertok Ilana investigator.; Hefer Emek investigator.; Artzi‐Medvedik Rada investigator.; Pumpure Elizabete investigator.; Rezeberga Dace investigator.; Jansone‐Šantare Gita investigator.; Jakovicka Dārta investigator.; Knoka Anna Regīna investigator.; Vilcāne Katrīna Paula investigator.; Liepinaitienė Alina investigator.; Kondrakova Andželika investigator.; Mizgaitienė Marija investigator.; Juciūtė Simona investigator.; Arendt Maryse investigator.; Tasch Barbara investigator.; Nedberg Ingvild Hersoug investigator.; Kongslien Sigrun investigator.; Vik Eline Skirnisdottir investigator.; Baranowska Barbara investigator.; Tataj‐Puzyna Urszula investigator.; Węgrzynowska Maria investigator.; Costa Raquel investigator.; Barata Catarina investigator.; Santos Teresa investigator.; Rodrigues Carina investigator.; Dias Heloísa investigator.; Otelea Marina Ruxandra investigator.; Radetić Jelena investigator.; Ružičić Jovana investigator.; Drglin Zalka investigator.; Ponikvar Barbara Mihevc investigator.; Bohinec Anja investigator.; Brigidi Serena investigator.; Castañeda Lara Martín investigator.; Elden Helen investigator.; Sengpiel Verena investigator.; Linden Karolina investigator.; Zaigham Mehreen investigator.; De Labrusse Claire investigator.; Abderhalden Alessia investigator.; Pfund Anouck investigator.; Thorn Harriet investigator.; Grylka Susanne investigator.; Gemperle Michael investigator.; Mueller Antonia investigator.; Conway Francesca guestEditor.; Costa Raquel guestEditor.; Otelea Marina R. guestEditor.; Sacks Emma guestEditor.;
• Is Part Of: International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics. Volume 159:Issue 1(2022)supplement 1
• Page Start: 70
• Page End: 84
• Publication Date: 2022-12-18
• Subjects: COVID‐19 -- IMAgiNE EURO -- maternal health -- maternity services -- mode of birth -- quality of care -- Switzerland -- WHO standards; Gynecology -- Periodicals; Obstetrics -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 618
• DOI: 10.1002/ijgo.14456
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0020-7292

Abstract

Abstract: Objective: To explore quality of maternal and newborn care (QMNC) in healthcare facilities during the COVID‐19 pandemic in Switzerland. Methods: Women giving birth in Switzerland answered a validated online questionnaire including 40 WHO standards‐based quality measures. QMNC score was calculated according to linguistic region and mode of birth. Differences were assessed using logistic regression analysis adjusting for relevant variables. Results: A total of 1175 women were included in the analysis. Limitations in QMNC during the pandemic were reported by 328 (27.9%) women. Several quality measures, such as deficient communication (18.0%, n = 212), insufficient number of healthcare professionals (19.7%, n = 231), no information on the newborn after cesarean (26.5%, n = 91) or maternal and newborn danger signs (34.1%, n = 401 and 41.4% n = 487, respectively) suggested preventable gaps in QMNC. Quality measures significantly differed by linguistic region and mode of birth. Multivariate analysis established a significantly lower QMNC for women in French‐ and Italian‐speaking regions compared with the German‐speaking region. Moreover, in several quality indicators reflecting communication with healthcare providers, women who did not answer the questionnaire in one of the Swiss national languages had significantly worse scores than others. A significant lower QMNC was also found for young and primiparous women and for those who experienced cesarean or instrumental vaginal birth. Conclusion: Women giving birth in Switzerland during the pandemic reported notable gaps in QMNC. Providers should be attuned to women who are younger, primiparous, and those who had an emergency cesarean or instrumental vaginal birth given the lower QMNC reported by these groups. Women who did not respond in a Swiss national language may need improved communication strategies. Synopsis: Women giving birth in Switzerland during the COVID‐19 pandemic reported several shortcomings in quality of maternal and newborn care. Substantial differences across linguistic regions and mode of birth were observed.