The time of motherhood in a time of crisis: a longitudinal qualitative study

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health of women in the perinatal period has been widely shown in literature. Although longitudinal quantitative studies investigated the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on both women and children's health, no longitudinal qualitative study can be found within literature. The study aimed at an in-depth exploration of the longitudinal trajectories, from pregnancy to postpartum, lived by women through the waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy.

As a method, the qualitative approach of Longitudinal Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used. A total of 14 women were interviewed for the first time during pregnancy (March-May 2021/second wave of the COVID-19 spread). Among the total, 8 completed a second interview, one year later, during postpartum (March-May 2022/end of the COVID-19 public emergency) and were included in the analysis.

Three superordinated themes emerged: (1) Maternal functions during the COVID-19 pandemic; (2) 'Care' needs of women in maternal services; (3) Unspeakable: obstetric violence and gender inequality in the working field. Themes were organised considering women's experience, showing continuity and discontinuity paths overtime.

Women in their perinatal period during the COVID-19 pandemic felt like 'living incubators', both isolated and invested in individual and social responsibilities of 'caring'.The study confirms the need to re-centre maternal care services' praxis on women's needs as an act of collective repair against the consequences of collective trauma of the COVID-19 pandemic.