Pregnancy and maternity services (COVID-19)
A report highlighting women’s experiences of pregnancy and maternity services during the Covid-19 pandemic in Scotland.
Engender and the Health and Social Care Academy have recently published a report highlighting women’s experiences of pregnancy and maternity services during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Drawing on survey responses from over 200 women across Scotland, this report found that the shift from in-person to remote appointments negatively impacted care standards, whilst gendered health inequalities, such as pain management and the lack of an intersectional approach, were also exacerbated by the pandemic. Additionally, it was found that isolation negatively impacted on pregnancies and maternity care, meaning women underwent invasive procedures, gave birth, and suffered miscarriage and baby loss without support, resulting in long lasting trauma.
The report highlighted a need for a gendered and human rights approach to crisis management, whilst it called for policy and service amendments to ensure women’s particular needs and experiences are accounted for at all stages.
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