标题：The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on subjective childbirth experience and postpartum post-traumatic stress reactions in women who gave birth in Lithuania
摘要：The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered numerous changes to the provision of maternity care worldwide. In many countries, including Lithuania, this resulted in violations of respectful maternity care, e.g. restrictions of labour companionship. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on subjective childbirth experience and postpartum post-traumatic stress (PTS) reactions in women who gave birth in Lithuania. Method: The study sample consisted of 1309 women who gave birth during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 1389 who gave birth before the onset of the pandemic, mainly in 2019. Women were asked about their childbirth experiences, quality of the received maternity care, and postpartum mental health. This project is funded by EEA Grants through the Active Citizens Fund. Results: Women who gave birth during the pandemic had significantly more postpartum PTS reactions, but not clinically significant postpartum PTSD compared to women who gave birth before the pandemic. More prominent postpartum PTS reactions were associated with caesarean birth, longer separation from the newborn, longer postpartum stay in the facility, restrictions of labour companionship, the experience of obstetric violence (i.e. being bullied, intimidated, and abused), lower sense of safety, subjective experience of childbirth being more traumatic, the higher discrepancy from childbirth expectations, and lower satisfaction with received intrapartum and postpartum care. Regardless of the pandemic situation, postpartum PTS reactions were best predicted by the same factors. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated women’s experiences of harmful practices related to maternity care which may lead to poorer mental health outcomes.
