Was COVID-19 the main challenge to maternal and newborn care? Preliminary findings from the Improving MAternal Newborn Care study on 30 Quality Measures across 10 countries
1
WHO Collaborating Centre for Maternal and Child Health, Institute for Maternal and Child Health IRCSS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy
2
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology- Region Västra Götaland, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
3
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Riga Stradins University, Riga, Latvia
4
Department of Midwifery, Faculty of Health Studies University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
5
HEI‐Lab: Digital Human‐Environment Interaction Labs, Lusófona University, Porto, Portugal
6
Midwifery Department- Faculty of Health and Care Sciences, University of West Attica, Athens, Greece
7
Department of Midwifery, Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, Warsaw, Poland
8
National Institute of Public Health, Ljubljana, Slovenia
9
Faculty of Natural Sciences, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
This study explored the quality of maternal and newborn care (QMNC) during versus after the COVID-19 pandemic.
METHODS:
Women 18 years-of-age who gave birth in healthcare facilities in countries of the IMAgiNE Network answered a validated questionnaire, including 30 WHO Standard-based Quality Measures. Data during versus after the COVID-19 pandemic (before/after May 2023) were compared.
RESULTS:
A total of 76214 women were analysed from 10 countries in the WHO European Region (N=58033 pandemic period, N=18181 post-pandemic). The indicator with the largest improvement in the post-pandemic period was the rate of women who had a companion allowed to stay with (from 41.7 % in the pre-pandemic to 11.2% in the post-pandemic). Other 7 indicators had a statistical significant, but poorly clinically relevant, improvement, and the remaining other 22 indicators did not show any significant change. Key findings in the post pandemic period included: 35.3% women lacked an adequate breastfeeding support (from 19.2% in Belgium to 42.1% in Croatia); 28% could not choose their birth position (from 17.3% in Germany to 69.8% in Croatia); 51.4% lacked a consent request in instrumental vaginal birth (from 30.2% in Sweden to 78.8% in Croatia); 33.4% had no information on newborn after caesarean section (from 11.1% in Portugal to 58.9% in Lithuania); 49.5% were not counselled on maternal danger sign to monitor (from 21.5% in Portugal to 58.5% in Poland). Multilevel analyses confirmed significant differences across countries, when corrected for other variables.
CONCLUSIONS:
Despite the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, major gaps in QMNC persist in the WHO European Region. Results call for more investment and regulatory frameworks to reduce inequities and promote evidence-based, patient-centred care for all mothers and newborns.
This study explored the quality of maternal and newborn care (QMNC) during versus after the COVID-19 pandemic.
METHODS:
Women 18 years-of-age who gave birth in healthcare facilities in countries of the IMAgiNE Network answered a validated questionnaire, including 30 WHO Standard-based Quality Measures. Data during versus after the COVID-19 pandemic (before/after May 2023) were compared.
RESULTS:
A total of 76214 women were analysed from 10 countries in the WHO European Region (N=58033 pandemic period, N=18181 post-pandemic). The indicator with the largest improvement in the post-pandemic period was the rate of women who had a companion allowed to stay with (from 41.7 % in the pre-pandemic to 11.2% in the post-pandemic). Other 7 indicators had a statistical significant, but poorly clinically relevant, improvement, and the remaining other 22 indicators did not show any significant change. Key findings in the post pandemic period included: 35.3% women lacked an adequate breastfeeding support (from 19.2% in Belgium to 42.1% in Croatia); 28% could not choose their birth position (from 17.3% in Germany to 69.8% in Croatia); 51.4% lacked a consent request in instrumental vaginal birth (from 30.2% in Sweden to 78.8% in Croatia); 33.4% had no information on newborn after caesarean section (from 11.1% in Portugal to 58.9% in Lithuania); 49.5% were not counselled on maternal danger sign to monitor (from 21.5% in Portugal to 58.5% in Poland). Multilevel analyses confirmed significant differences across countries, when corrected for other variables.
CONCLUSIONS:
Despite the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, major gaps in QMNC persist in the WHO European Region. Results call for more investment and regulatory frameworks to reduce inequities and promote evidence-based, patient-centred care for all mothers and newborns.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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