Perinatal clients’ experiences of care during COVID-19 in the North West District, South Africa

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic affected perinatal care services globally, leading to World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommendation for six in-person and two virtual antenatal visits to reduce travel and antenatal visits. Changes were made to reduce infection risk, with online consultations becoming a popular interim measure. Aim: The aim was to understand perinatal clients’ experiences of perinatal care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Setting: The study was conducted in five facilities of Bojanala district in the North West province, South Africa. Methods: The study followed a qualitative, exploratory, contextual design using semi-structured, face-to-face interviews. Purposeful sampling was used to select 10 participants meeting the inclusion criteria, who were interviewed until data saturation was reached. Data were organised into themes using thematic analysis. Ethical considerations and measures of trustworthiness were adhered to. Results: Three themes emerged altered routine, staff attitude and isolation during delivery. The nine sub-themes were pre-screening, entering the facility in turns, infection prevention and control, very slow queues, discontent about wearing masks, nurses’ fear of infection, staying longer than 5 h in the queue only to receive less than 10 min of service, no visitors including spouses allowed for emotional support, and compulsory COVID-19 test. Conclusion: South Africa should revisit policies and guidelines to support pregnant women during the difficult phases of unforeseen pandemics. Contribution: Multidisciplinary involvement in the psychological support of antenatal clients and nurses during any pandemic is crucial to ensure mental well-being.