[THE EXPERIENCE OF OBSTETRICIANS DURING THE FIRST OUTBURST OF COVID-19]

The COVID-19 pandemic posed unique challenges to medical teams in general and in the field of obstetrics in particular, where the provision of medical services could not be postponed. Optimal care during the COVID-19 outburst required rapid adjustment to changes, ensuring staff and patients' safety while maintaining close and direct contact with patients.

To explore obstetricians' experiences during the first outburst, focusing on their challenges, needs and ways of coping.

Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted online with 13 senior physicians and residents (7 women, 6 men) from four hospitals, who worked in obstetrics. The interviews were analyzed using the Immersion/Crystallization method developed in medicine focused on their experiences.

The findings revealed that alongside the impressive mobilization of the teams during this period, physicians encountered various challenges. These included being overwhelmed with the ever-changing and often conflicting guidelines; a feeling of lack of transparency and loss of trust in the system that did not always protect them nor provided their basic needs; difficulty in maintaining daily needed routines, such as communication within the team; dealing with patients' and their families anxiety; and striving to maintain a positive childbirth atmosphere along with having to set boundaries and keep distance. The teams felt the need for training in dealing with patients' and staff's emotional needs as well as finding ways to maintain a professional-friendly relationship among team members.

The COVID-19 period forced obstetricians to change procedures and conduct themselves differently. They demonstrated a great commitment to assuring that women have a positive childbirth experience, even within the limitations of COVID. They experienced great difficulty as they themselves were dealing with fears of the virus, distancing from others, and addressing new emerging needs.

Reports from around the world and the findings of the current study indicate the importance of developing processes that will enhance physicians' and patients' trust, to allow physicians to feel safe and cared for and to be able to provide high-quality care Identifying the challenges, needs and strengths of the medical teams can help in dealing with this and future pandemics. This requires caring for physicians, as individuals, as family members, as team members, along with provision of training that can help them communicate well to provide high-quality safe care.