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"A word that describes it well is 'lonely'" - Experiencing preterm birth during the first COVID-19 lockdown in

Simone Teresa Böhm-González1, Sarah Detemple1, Jasmin Gruß1

  • 1Children's and Adolescents' Hospital, University Hospital of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937 Cologne, Germany.

Early Human Development
|March 10, 2025
PubMed

Insights

First lockdown pandemic regulations isolated parents of preterm infants, causing loneliness and fear. Future pandemic planning must prioritize family-centered care to mitigate negative impacts on birth and perinatal experiences.

Area of Science:

  • Perinatal Medicine
  • Public Health
  • Qualitative Research

Background:

  • First pandemic lockdown imposed hospital restrictions, significantly impacting parents of preterm infants due to prolonged hospital stays.
  • These restrictive measures created unique challenges for families navigating birth and early parenthood during a global health crisis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effects of first lockdown pandemic regulations on the birth and perinatal experiences of parents with preterm infants.
  • To understand the lived experiences of parents during a period of unprecedented healthcare restrictions.

Main Methods:

  • Qualitative study involving interviews with ten parents of preterm infants (28-32 gestational weeks) born during the first lockdown in Germany.
  • Analysis of interview data using reflexive thematic analysis to identify key themes and experiences.

Main Results:

  • Parents experienced "Loneliness" and lack of support, "Losing out on meaningful moments" of birth and early parenthood, and "Fear" of infection.
  • The study identified challenges in "Medical care of preterm infants" but also noted effective care despite restrictions.
  • Mothers demonstrated agency by "Taking action to change hospital regulations".

Conclusions:

  • Future pandemic response planning requires integrating scientific and pediatric expertise to prevent negative consequences of mitigation measures.
  • Prioritizing family-centered and integrated care models is essential during public health crises to support parents and preterm infants.
Abstract

Keywords:
COVID-19Family-centered careLockdownMitigation measuresNICUPrematurityQualitative research

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