Choosing for a Homebirth during COVID-19 Lockdown in The Netherlands, who and why: A national prospective questionnaire study

IF 2.6 3区医学 Q1 NURSING

Midwifery Pub Date : 2025-03-06 DOI:10.1016/j.midw.2025.104361

Benjamin Y. Gravesteijn , Nienke Boderie , Roseriet Beijers , Loes Bertens , Thomas van den Akker , Jeroen van Dillen , Arie Franx , Marion van den Heuvel , Ank de Jonge , Brenda Kazemier , Igna Kwint-Reijnders , Ben Willem Mol , Sylvia A. Obermann-Borst , Lilian Peters , Stefania Vacaru , Carolina de Weerth , Sam Schoenmakers , Christianne de Groot , Jasper V. Been , PREPARE consortium

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objective

During the first COVID-19 lockdown in the Netherlands (9 March–1 June 2020), the homebirth rate increased from 27 % to 37 % among women with low-risk pregnancies starting labour in primary midwife-led care (overall population: 15 % in 2020). We explored characteristics and motivations of women who change their preference from a hospital birth to a home birth.

Design

A nationwide prospective online questionnaire.

Setting

Questionnaires were distributed during the first COVID-19 wave (4 April-11 May 2020), as well as at follow-up (infant ±6 months old).

Population

Women who were pregnant during the first COVID-19 wave (N = 778), who either changed their preferred birth location from a hospital to a home birth or who maintained their original preference.

Methods and main outcome measures

We compared characteristics, anticipatory worries, and mental health between these groups, using descriptive statistics.

Results

The most frequently reported change in preferred birth location among included women was from a hospital to a homebirth (15 %). This was primarily experienced as a choice rather than out of necessity (84 %). Women preferring homebirths had fewer risk factors (-11 %, 95 % CI: -5 % to -16 %) and had higher COVID-19 related worry scores (+0.09, 95 % CI: 0.01 to 0.18; for scale: IQR 0.45–1.09) compared to women who maintained their original preference. Main concerns were the absence of the support of friends or family during or after birth, and exposure to COVID-19.

Conclusion

During the first COVID-19 lockdown in the Netherlands, women changing their preferred location of birth to a homebirth had fewer risk factors and more COVID-19 related worries pertaining to a hospital birth.

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来源期刊

Midwifery 医学-护理

CiteScore

4.50

自引率

7.40%

发文量

221

审稿时长

13.4 weeks

期刊介绍： Midwifery publishes the latest peer reviewed international research to inform the safety, quality, outcomes and experiences of pregnancy, birth and maternity care for childbearing women, their babies and families. The journal’s publications support midwives and maternity care providers to explore and develop their knowledge, skills and attitudes informed by best available evidence. Midwifery provides an international, interdisciplinary forum for the publication, dissemination and discussion of advances in evidence, controversies and current research, and promotes continuing education through publication of systematic and other scholarly reviews and updates. Midwifery articles cover the cultural, clinical, psycho-social, sociological, epidemiological, education, managerial, workforce, organizational and technological areas of practice in preconception, maternal and infant care. The journal welcomes the highest quality scholarly research that employs rigorous methodology. Midwifery is a leading international journal in midwifery and maternal health with a current impact factor of 1.861 (© Thomson Reuters Journal Citation Reports 2016) and employs a double-blind peer review process.