COVID-19 status and utilisation of essential maternal and child healthcare services during the pandemic in Ahmedabad, India
Abstract Background Access to essential healthcare services is pertinent to the achievement of universal health coverage in any nation. The COVID-19 lockdown was used to mitigate the spread of the pandemic. Consequently, there was a reduction in the Utilisation of Basic Healthcare Services (UBHS) in...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2025-01-01
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| Series: | BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-025-07201-2 |
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| author | Sandul Yasobant K Shruti Lekha Ravina Tadvi Bhavin Solanki Walter Bruchhausen Deepak Saxena |
| author_facet | Sandul Yasobant K Shruti Lekha Ravina Tadvi Bhavin Solanki Walter Bruchhausen Deepak Saxena |
| author_sort | Sandul Yasobant |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Access to essential healthcare services is pertinent to the achievement of universal health coverage in any nation. The COVID-19 lockdown was used to mitigate the spread of the pandemic. Consequently, there was a reduction in the Utilisation of Basic Healthcare Services (UBHS) in diverse dimensions. However, variation existed in the UBHS by COVID-19 status, but the extent of this disparity has not been extensively addressed in Ahmedabad, India. Therefore, this study explores the relationship between COVID-19 status and utilisation of essential maternal and child healthcare services during the pandemic in Ahmedabad, India. Methods A mixed-method approach was used for the data (both quantitative and qualitative) collection from November 2021 to October 2022. Four zones were purposefully selected from the 6 zones in Ahmedabad. The quantitative part of the study included pregnant women or those who had a baby delivery from April 2020 to October 2021 (n = 278), while 10 of these women participated in the qualitative part. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, and binomial logistic regression (α = 0.05). A deductive approach was used to analyse the qualitative data. Results Of the total 278, almost 43% of the women were infected with COVID-19 during their pregnancy. Women who tested positive availed lesser antenatal care (ANC), and Postnatal care (PNC). There were diverse experiences documented regarding access to essential maternal and child healthcare services during the pandemic. Women without COVID-19 are more likely to receive maternal healthcare services, such as visits of any healthcare workers [aOR = 2.59 (1.03- 6.49)], counseling services [aOR = 1.92 (0.61- 6.06)], delivery at the planned place [aOR = 1.98 (0.99- 3.92)] as compared to those who are positive. Women without COVID-19 were more likely to be accompanied by healthcare workers during labor ([aOR = 2.91(1.04- 8.11) and to receive appropriate birth spacing counselling [aOR = 1.38 (0.7–2.71)]. Conclusion Utilisation of essential maternal and child healthcare services was lower among women who were COVID-19 positive compared to those who were not. Social and health system determinants for disrupting healthcare services during the pandemic were fear of infection and unavailability of the health workforce. Health planners and policymakers are encouraged to take into consideration of these findings while building resilient health care for managing future pandemics. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0b5b2c7b70fc40649537a0319957f334 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1471-2393 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth |
| spelling | doaj-art-0b5b2c7b70fc40649537a0319957f3342025-02-02T12:46:42ZengBMCBMC Pregnancy and Childbirth1471-23932025-01-0125111110.1186/s12884-025-07201-2COVID-19 status and utilisation of essential maternal and child healthcare services during the pandemic in Ahmedabad, IndiaSandul Yasobant0K Shruti Lekha1Ravina Tadvi2Bhavin Solanki3Walter Bruchhausen4Deepak Saxena5Department of Public Health Science, Indian Institute of Public Health Gandhinagar (IIPHG)Centre for One Health Education, Research & Development (COHERD), Indian Institute of Public Health Gandhinagar (IIPHG)Centre for One Health Education, Research & Development (COHERD), Indian Institute of Public Health Gandhinagar (IIPHG)Department of Health, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC)Global Health, Institute for Hygiene & Public Health, University Hospital BonnDepartment of Public Health Science, Indian Institute of Public Health Gandhinagar (IIPHG)Abstract Background Access to essential healthcare services is pertinent to the achievement of universal health coverage in any nation. The COVID-19 lockdown was used to mitigate the spread of the pandemic. Consequently, there was a reduction in the Utilisation of Basic Healthcare Services (UBHS) in diverse dimensions. However, variation existed in the UBHS by COVID-19 status, but the extent of this disparity has not been extensively addressed in Ahmedabad, India. Therefore, this study explores the relationship between COVID-19 status and utilisation of essential maternal and child healthcare services during the pandemic in Ahmedabad, India. Methods A mixed-method approach was used for the data (both quantitative and qualitative) collection from November 2021 to October 2022. Four zones were purposefully selected from the 6 zones in Ahmedabad. The quantitative part of the study included pregnant women or those who had a baby delivery from April 2020 to October 2021 (n = 278), while 10 of these women participated in the qualitative part. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, and binomial logistic regression (α = 0.05). A deductive approach was used to analyse the qualitative data. Results Of the total 278, almost 43% of the women were infected with COVID-19 during their pregnancy. Women who tested positive availed lesser antenatal care (ANC), and Postnatal care (PNC). There were diverse experiences documented regarding access to essential maternal and child healthcare services during the pandemic. Women without COVID-19 are more likely to receive maternal healthcare services, such as visits of any healthcare workers [aOR = 2.59 (1.03- 6.49)], counseling services [aOR = 1.92 (0.61- 6.06)], delivery at the planned place [aOR = 1.98 (0.99- 3.92)] as compared to those who are positive. Women without COVID-19 were more likely to be accompanied by healthcare workers during labor ([aOR = 2.91(1.04- 8.11) and to receive appropriate birth spacing counselling [aOR = 1.38 (0.7–2.71)]. Conclusion Utilisation of essential maternal and child healthcare services was lower among women who were COVID-19 positive compared to those who were not. Social and health system determinants for disrupting healthcare services during the pandemic were fear of infection and unavailability of the health workforce. Health planners and policymakers are encouraged to take into consideration of these findings while building resilient health care for managing future pandemics.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-025-07201-2COVID-19 pandemicMaternal & child healthcare servicesDisruptionHealthcare service utilisationAhmedabadIndia |
| spellingShingle | Sandul Yasobant K Shruti Lekha Ravina Tadvi Bhavin Solanki Walter Bruchhausen Deepak Saxena COVID-19 status and utilisation of essential maternal and child healthcare services during the pandemic in Ahmedabad, India BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth COVID-19 pandemic Maternal & child healthcare services Disruption Healthcare service utilisation Ahmedabad India |
| title | COVID-19 status and utilisation of essential maternal and child healthcare services during the pandemic in Ahmedabad, India |
| title_full | COVID-19 status and utilisation of essential maternal and child healthcare services during the pandemic in Ahmedabad, India |
| title_fullStr | COVID-19 status and utilisation of essential maternal and child healthcare services during the pandemic in Ahmedabad, India |
| title_full_unstemmed | COVID-19 status and utilisation of essential maternal and child healthcare services during the pandemic in Ahmedabad, India |
| title_short | COVID-19 status and utilisation of essential maternal and child healthcare services during the pandemic in Ahmedabad, India |
| title_sort | covid 19 status and utilisation of essential maternal and child healthcare services during the pandemic in ahmedabad india |
| topic | COVID-19 pandemic Maternal & child healthcare services Disruption Healthcare service utilisation Ahmedabad India |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-025-07201-2 |
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