The Experiences of Expectant and New Mothers in Accessing Maternal Healthcare Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Mmabatho, North-West, South Africa
Access to maternal healthcare has been a challenge for women of African descent. Similarly, to previous illness outbreaks such as the Ebola and Zika outbreaks, the Coronavirus pandemic effects vary from one demographic group to another. Women, compared to men, are left in a more vulnerable position...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Social Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/12/7/381 |
| _version_ | 1797587439791898624 |
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| author | Makgake Ziphorah Mohulatsi Tendayi Clotilda Garutsa Boipelo Bahule |
| author_facet | Makgake Ziphorah Mohulatsi Tendayi Clotilda Garutsa Boipelo Bahule |
| author_sort | Makgake Ziphorah Mohulatsi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Access to maternal healthcare has been a challenge for women of African descent. Similarly, to previous illness outbreaks such as the Ebola and Zika outbreaks, the Coronavirus pandemic effects vary from one demographic group to another. Women, compared to men, are left in a more vulnerable position due to long-existing social inequalities and disparities. Differentiated effects include, amongst others, access to health and healthcare, risk of infection and coping strategies. This study examined the experiences of expectant and new mothers in accessing maternal healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic. In-depth interviews were used, and participants were selected from Mmabatho, North-West Province in South Africa. The findings show that women accessing maternal healthcare services have had diverse experiences. Some expectant and new mothers experienced fear, anxiety, and frustration, while some had more positive experiences. The positive experiences included spending more time with their families and newborn babies. Some of the participants were worried because of the fear of being infected with the coronavirus. Furthermore, the unavailability and inadequacy of, as well as limited access to, maternal healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected some of the women in the study. This study recommends that public and private sectors responsible for providing maternal healthcare should have emergency preparedness measures in place to ensure the continuous provision of maternal healthcare and cushion women in future disease pandemics. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:38:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4b69b6c29a7149a5936a512327e1809d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-0760 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:38:59Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Social Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-4b69b6c29a7149a5936a512327e1809d2023-11-18T21:22:02ZengMDPI AGSocial Sciences2076-07602023-06-0112738110.3390/socsci12070381The Experiences of Expectant and New Mothers in Accessing Maternal Healthcare Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Mmabatho, North-West, South AfricaMakgake Ziphorah Mohulatsi0Tendayi Clotilda Garutsa1Boipelo Bahule2Department of Sociology, North-West University, Mahikeng 2790, South AfricaDepartment of Sociology, North-West University, Mahikeng 2790, South AfricaDepartment of Sociology, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2531, South AfricaAccess to maternal healthcare has been a challenge for women of African descent. Similarly, to previous illness outbreaks such as the Ebola and Zika outbreaks, the Coronavirus pandemic effects vary from one demographic group to another. Women, compared to men, are left in a more vulnerable position due to long-existing social inequalities and disparities. Differentiated effects include, amongst others, access to health and healthcare, risk of infection and coping strategies. This study examined the experiences of expectant and new mothers in accessing maternal healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic. In-depth interviews were used, and participants were selected from Mmabatho, North-West Province in South Africa. The findings show that women accessing maternal healthcare services have had diverse experiences. Some expectant and new mothers experienced fear, anxiety, and frustration, while some had more positive experiences. The positive experiences included spending more time with their families and newborn babies. Some of the participants were worried because of the fear of being infected with the coronavirus. Furthermore, the unavailability and inadequacy of, as well as limited access to, maternal healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected some of the women in the study. This study recommends that public and private sectors responsible for providing maternal healthcare should have emergency preparedness measures in place to ensure the continuous provision of maternal healthcare and cushion women in future disease pandemics.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/12/7/381womenCOVID-19maternal health |
| spellingShingle | Makgake Ziphorah Mohulatsi Tendayi Clotilda Garutsa Boipelo Bahule The Experiences of Expectant and New Mothers in Accessing Maternal Healthcare Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Mmabatho, North-West, South Africa Social Sciences women COVID-19 maternal health |
| title | The Experiences of Expectant and New Mothers in Accessing Maternal Healthcare Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Mmabatho, North-West, South Africa |
| title_full | The Experiences of Expectant and New Mothers in Accessing Maternal Healthcare Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Mmabatho, North-West, South Africa |
| title_fullStr | The Experiences of Expectant and New Mothers in Accessing Maternal Healthcare Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Mmabatho, North-West, South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Experiences of Expectant and New Mothers in Accessing Maternal Healthcare Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Mmabatho, North-West, South Africa |
| title_short | The Experiences of Expectant and New Mothers in Accessing Maternal Healthcare Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Mmabatho, North-West, South Africa |
| title_sort | experiences of expectant and new mothers in accessing maternal healthcare services during the covid 19 pandemic in mmabatho north west south africa |
| topic | women COVID-19 maternal health |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/12/7/381 |
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