The new coronavirus has affected people’s health in more ways than one. In this Special Feature, we look at what the pandemic has meant for primary healthcare access in countries around the world.
Over the past few weeks, Medical News Today have investigated the many ways in which the coronavirus pandemic has affected — directly or indirectly — the lives of people all around the globe.
In one feature, we spoke about how restrictive measures put in place to curb the spread of the virus have taken a toll on people’s daily lives and their mental health.
A follow-up presented our readers’ and contributors’ best strategies for coping with this crisis and explained, with reference to scientific studies, why these strategies actually work to boost people’s sense of well-being.
In this Special Feature, we turn to another way in which the COVID-19 pandemic has affected countries all over the world: its impact on primary healthcare.
The World Health Organization (WHO) define primary healthcare as “a whole-of-society approach to health and well-being centered on the needs and preferences of individuals, families, and communities.”
“Primary healthcare,” the WHO explain, “ensures people receive comprehensive care — ranging from promotion and prevention to treatment, rehabilitation, and palliative care — as close as feasible to people’s everyday environment.”
Access to healthcare is a fundamental human right, but the strain that the COVID-19 pandemic has placed on healthcare systems everywhere has, in turn, affected many people’s primary care provision.
Due to fears relating to the spread of the new coronavirus, healthcare providers around the world have been minimizing in-person contact with their patients.
This has affected prenatal care, a crucial aspect of ensuring that pregnant women and developing babies stay healthy throughout pregnancy.
The Office on Women’s Health at the Department of Health & Human Services advise frequent checkups and screenings for pregnant women. They note that these should include one checkup per month during weeks 4–28 of the pregnancy, two per month during weeks 28–36, and weekly checkups from then on until the birth.
However, the pandemic has jeopardized these regular prenatal visits to the obstetrician or even made them impossible.
U.S.-based obstetricians have reportedly either switched to less frequent in-person appointments or turned to telemedicine completely.
Specialists argue that telemedicine is more convenient and safe, allowing pregnant women to receive the support they need without placing themselves at risk by attending clinic appointments in person during the pandemic.
However, pregnant women may have fear for other reasons. For example, what happens if they contract SARS-CoV-2, the new coronavirus? What will the birthing experience be like during the pandemic?
Expectant parents worried about delivery
In the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say that some doctors may find it necessary to separate the woman and child immediately after birth if they suspect that the woman may have contracted SARS-CoV-2.
“The determination of whether or not to separate a mother with known or suspected COVID-19 and her infant should be made on a case-by-case basis using shared decision-making between the mother and the clinical team,” the CDC advise.
There is also a concern that partners, who would usually provide reassurance and support during the delivery, may not have permission to enter the delivery room or visit in the maternity unit.
The CDC advise that visitors can still enter these areas during labor and delivery, but only if they show no symptoms of COVID-19 and wear appropriate personal protective equipment.
In the United Kingdom, some hospitals have banned all in-person visits to maternity wards in this period, and in Germany, some hospitals are reportedly banning partners from entering the delivery room.
Throughout Europe, hospitals appear to be making independent calls about who gets to stay and support the woman during labor, and who is allowed to visit after birth, leading to additional worries and uncertainties among expectant parents.
“Women have to give birth alone without the support of their partners or doulas — that caused a huge argument here,” Juuli, from Estonia, told MNT.
“There were rumors that our partners wouldn’t be allowed in the maternity ward,” Alexandra, who lives in Belgium, also confided. Alexandra was expecting her second child, who