Table 1 Studies included in the scoping review
Author/year | Title | Journal | Type of study | Setting/country | Outcome of interest | Main message |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Abdul-Mumin et al. [27] | Decrease in Admissions and Change in the Diagnostic Landscape in a Newborn Care Unit in Northern Ghana During the COVID-19 Pandemic | Frontiers in pediatrics | Cross-sectional study | Ghana | Neonatal admission and mortality | Substantial decrease in hospital admissions and increases in neonatal mortality during the COVID era |
Jensen et al. [28] | Child health services during a COVID-19 outbreak in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa | South African medical journal | Retrospective study | South Africa | Child health services | COVID-19 has led to a disruption in service access and utilization, service delivery and child well-being. There has also been reduction in hospital admissions |
Lusambili et al. [29] | "We have a lot of home deliveries" A qualitative study on the impact of COVID-19 on access to and utilization of reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health care among refugee women in urban Eastleigh, Kenya | Journal of migration and health | Qualitative study | Kenya | Access to and utilisation of antenatal care, delivery, and postnatal care | There was reduced utilization of services and delayed care. Preference for home deliveries increased |
Balogun et al. [30] | Challenges in access and satisfaction with reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health services in Nigeria during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional survey | PLoS ONE | Cross sectional study | Nigeria | Client satisfaction with reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health services | The COVID-19 lockdown posed challenges to accessing RMNCH services for many of the women who were surveyed. Overall satisfaction with care was high |
Sayed et al. [31] | Lockdown-associated hunger may be affecting breastfeeding: findings from a large SMS survey in South Africa | International journal of environmental research & public health | Cross-sectional study | South Africa | Breastfeeding, maternal depression and hunger | Breastfeeding initiation rates was high. There was no association between breastfeeding and depressive symptoms |
Hailemariam et al. [32] | Exploring COVID-19 Related Factors Influencing Antenatal Care Services Uptake: A Qualitative Study among Women in a Rural Community in Southwest Ethiopia | Journal of primary care & community health | Qualitative study (in-depth interviews and focus group) | Ethiopia | Antenatal care | There was a decline in antenatal care service uptake. Factors associated with the decline include health facility related barriers, perceived poor quality of care during the pandemic, pandemic-related anxiety, and others |
Nwafor et al. [33] | Prevalence and predictors of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms among pregnant women during COVID-19-related lockdown in Abakaliki, Nigeria | Malawi medical journal | Cross-sectional study | Nigeria | COVID-19 related depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms among pregnant women | Depressive symptoms, anxiety and stress were reported by pregnant women during the pandemic. Predictors of depression were multiparity and occupation whiles predictors of anxiety and stress included grand-multiparty, urban residence and trading |
Hedstrom et al. [34] | Impact of the early COVID-19 pandemic on outcomes in a rural Ugandan neonatal unit: A retrospective cohort study | PLoS ONE | Retrospective cohort | Uganda | Neonatal admissions and mortality | There was decreased antenatal care. There was an increase newborn mortality during the early days of the COVID-10 pandemic |
Asratie et al. [35] | Unintended pregnancy during covid-19 pandemic among women attending antenatal care in northwest Ethiopia: Magnitude and associated factors | International journal of women's health | Cross-sectional study | Ethiopia | Unintended pregnancy | Unintended pregnancy was found to be high during the study period. Factors associated with unintended pregnancy were no exposure to community education, no bad obstetric history, not being a primary decision maker for family planning, not having developed pregnancy-related complications before index-pregnancy and lack of health-care provider support |
Burt [36] | Indirect effects of COVID-19 on maternal, neonatal, child, sexual and reproductive health services in Kampala, Uganda | BMJ global health | Cross sectional study | Uganda | Maternal, neonatal, child, sexual and reproductive health services | There were disruptions in antenatal and vaccination service during the lockdown. Response to COVID-19 resulted in an increase in pregnancy complications and fetal and infant outcomes. There were increases in high blood pressure cases among women, stillbirths, low-birthweight and premature infant births, the rate of neonatal unit admissions, neonatal deaths and abortions |
Kassie et al. [37] | Impact of coronavirus diseases-2019 (Covid-19) on utilization and outcome of reproductive, maternal, and newborn health services at governmental health facilities in south west Ethiopia, 2020: Comparative cross-sectional study | International journal of women's health | Cross-sectional study | Ethiopia | Utilization of reproductive, maternal, and newborn health services | The pandemic led to reductions in utilization of reproductive, maternal and newborn health-services |
Shakespeare et al. [38] | Resilience and vulnerability of maternity services in Zimbabwe: a comparative analysis of the effect of Covid-19 and lockdown control measures on maternal and perinatal outcomes, a single-centre cross-sectional study at Mpilo Central Hospital | BMC pregnancy & childbirth | Cross-sectional study | Zimbabwe | Maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality | The lockdown did not result in any significant maternal and perinatal adverse outcomes |
Shuka et al. [39] | Use of healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic in urban Ethiopia: evidence from retrospective health facility survey data | BMJ open | Retrospective study | Ethiopia | Maternal and child health services (family planning, antenatal and postnatal care, abortion care, delivery, and immunisation) | Utilization of several maternal and child health services remained unaffected, highlighting the resilience of the healthcare system during the pandemic |
Wood et al. [40] | Need for and use of contraception by women before and during COVID-19 in four sub-Saharan African geographies: results from population-based national or regional cohort surveys | The lancet global health | Cross-sectional study | Multiple countries (Burkina Faso, Kenya, Congo DR, and Nigeria) | Contraceptive use | The early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic did not have the expected adverse impact on access to and use of contraceptive services by women |
Adelekan et al. [41] | Effect of COVID-19 pandemic on provision of sexual and reproductive health services in primary health facilities in Nigeria: a cross-sectional study | Reproductive health | Cross sectional study | Nigeria | Provision of sexual and reproductive health services | There was a significant reduction in utilization of sexual and reproductive health services during the lockdown even though many of these facilities were opened |
Atim et al. [42] | COVID-19 and Health Sector Development Plans in Africa: The Impact on Maternal and Child Health Outcomes in Uganda | Risk management and healthcare policy | Cross sectional study | Uganda | Maternal and Child Health Outcomes | The pandemic has negatively impacted immunization, antenatal, sexual, and reproductive health, emergency and obstetric, and postnatal care services. Specifically, there were declines in under-five vitamin A coverage, measles vaccination coverage, isoniazid preventive therapy coverage, and facility-based deliveries. Maternal and under-five deaths increased, and outreaches were rarely conducted in the lockdown period |
Chelo et al. [43] | Impact and projections of the COVID-19 epidemic on attendance and routine vaccinations at a pediatric referral hospital in Cameroon | Archives de pédiatrie | Cross-sectional study | Cameroun | Attendance and routine vaccinations | The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a significant decrease in in consultation and vaccination activities |
De Waard et al. [44] | Maternal and neonatal outcomes of COVID-19 in a high-risk pregnant cohort with and without HIV | South African medical journal | Prospective cohort | South Africa | Maternal and neonatal outcomes of COVID-19 | Among high-risk pregnant women, those with COVID-19 had a significant increased risk of maternal mortality compared with other deliveries. There was no significant difference in maternal/neonatal outcomes for people living HIV compared with those without HIV |
Gebreegziabher et al. [45] | Assessment of maternal and child health care services performance in the context of COVID-19 pandemic in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: evidence from routine service data | Reproductive Health | Cross-sectional study | Ethiopia | Maternal and child health care services (postnatal care visit, safe abortion care, vaccination, contraceptive acceptance) | The period during the pandemic saw declines in maternal and child health care services (new family planning visits, antenatal care, safe abortion care, vaccination) |
Leight et al. [46] | Short-term effects of the COVID-19 state of emergency on contraceptive access and utilization in Mozambique | PLoS ONE | Cross-sectional study | Mozambique | Utilization of contraceptive health services | The period following the imposition of COVID-19 related measures saw a temporary modest decline in reproductive health service provision and utilization |
Shapira et al. [47] | Disruptions in maternal and child health service utilization during COVID-19: analysis from eight sub-Saharan African countries | Health policy & planning | Retrospective study | Multiple countries (Cameroon, Congo DR, Liberia, Malawi, Mali Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Somalia) | Maternal and child health service utilization | Service disruptions were experienced by all the countries. The most affected services were outpatient consultations and child vaccinations |
Tadesse [48] | Antenatal Care Service Utilization of Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care in Public Hospitals During the COVID-19 Pandemic Period | International journal of women's health | Cross-sectional study | Ethiopia | Antenatal care utilization | Antenatal care utilization was negatively impacted by maternal age; residency status; educational status; still birth history; maternity service diversion and interruption, COVID-19 pandemic fear, and transportation challenges |
Temesgen et al. [49] | Maternal health care services utilization amidst COVID-19 pandemic in West Shoa zone, central Ethiopia | PLoS ONE | Cross-sectional study | Ethiopia | Maternal health care services utilization | Maternal health care services utilization was low (64.8%) during the COVID-19 pandemic |
Wanyana et al. [50] | Rapid assessment on the utilization of maternal and child health services during COVID-19 in Rwanda | Public Health Action | Cross-sectional study | Rwanda | Utilization of maternal and child health | There were declines in the utilization of maternal and child health services during the COVID-19 pandemic. The most affected areas were the Northern and Western provinces |
Banke-Thomas et al. [51] | Utilization cost of maternity services for childbirth among pregnant women with coronavirus disease 2019 in Nigeria's epicenter | International journal of obstetrics and gynecology | Cross-sectional study (Hospital-based cost analysis) | Nigeria | Maternal services utilization costs | COVID-19 has directly impacted cost of maternity service utilization especially as governmental exemptions become unavailable, reduction of donations and presence of fees attributable to universal testing. Such huge costs of care may become unaffordable especially for pregnant women with COVID-19 |
Kayiga et al. [52] | Lived experiences of frontline healthcare providers offering maternal and newborn services amidst the novel corona virus disease 19 pandemic in Uganda: A qualitative study | PLOS ONE | Qualitative study (in-depth interviews) | Uganda | Lived experiences of frontline healthcare providers | There was a decline in the quality of maternal and newborn services during the pandemic. Barriers to service delivery included lack of transportation, fear of contracting COVID-19, salary cuts, loss of job etc. Facilitators of service delivery included passion to serve, availability of accommodation during the pandemic and others |
Semaan et al. [53] | We are not going to shut down, because we cannot postpone pregnancy': a mixed-methods study of the provision of maternal healthcare in six referral maternity wards in four sub-Saharan African countries during the COVID-19 pandemic | BMJ global health | Mixed methods | Multiple countries (Guinea, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda) | Provision of maternal healthcare | There was no change in the proportion of caesarean sections during the pandemic. Overall, provision of routine maternal care (childbirth care) was maintained in the six referral hospitals. However, challenges were reported for care provision to women suspected or confirmed with COVID-19 |