Assessing the Attitude of Women Towards Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Child Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic (A Cross-sectional Study)

This study assessed the attitude of mothers toward pregnancy, childbirth, and child care during the COVID-19 pandemic, given the significance of women's attitudes toward these parameters and the paucity of relevant national studies.

Pregnant women are among the most high-risk groups for developing COVID-19, and the pandemic may affect the attitude of pregnant women towards pregnancy, childbirth, and child care.

This cross-sectional study was built on the census method to enroll 192 women admitted to comprehensive health centers in Khaf City, Iran, in 2021. The data were collected using an electronic questionnaire and analyzed using an independent t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Tukey's post-hoc test. P-values < 0.05 were considered significant.

The majority of the participants were 30 years old or younger. The mean attitude towards pregnancy, childbirth, and child care (APCCC) score of the participants was 19.21 ± 8.49. Significant differences were found between the mean APCCC score and the mean scores of APCCC subscales in those with and without a history of developing COVID-19, a family member with COVID-19, a history of hospitalization for COVID-19, and a family member with a history of hospitalization for COVID-19 (P < 0.001).

Negative APCCC can lead to population challenges and a decline in the birth rate; therefore, relevant authorities must take necessary steps to address this critical problem.