Experiences and attitudes of midwives during the birth of a pregnant woman with COVID-19 infection: a qualitative study

González-Timoneda, Alba; Hernández Hernández, Verónica; Pardo Moya, Sonia; Alfaro Blazquez, Ruben

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has become one of the most important threats to global health. Midwives are at the core of the response to the pandemic. Women still need midwifery support and care. The work of midwives is acknowledged as emotionally demanding, and their welfare may be compromised by a range of workplace and personal stress factors. Aim To investigate the experiences and attitudes of midwives who have provided pregnancy and childbirth care to women with a confirmed or suspected COVID-19 infection. Methods A qualitative phenomenological study was carried out in two Spanish tertiary hospitals. Fourteen midwives were recruited by purposive sampling technique. Data were collected through individual in-depth interviews and analysed using Giorgi’s descriptive method. Findings Three themes emerged: “challenges and differences when working in a pandemic”, “emotional and mental health and wellbeing” and “women’s emotional impact perceived by midwives”. Midwives pointed to several factors tied to a safe, supportive and empowering work place: support from staff and managers, access to adequate personal protective equipment, and reliable guidelines. They also dealt with professional and personal challenges during the pandemic, showing feelings of fear, anxiety, uncertainty, discomfort, lack of support, and knowledge. Finally, midwives expressed their concerns about the feelings of pregnant women with COVID-19, such as fear, anxiety, and loneliness. Conclusion The results of this study show some of the challenges for midwives during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the value of a good communication, emotional support, and stress management, to provide woman-centred care.