Impact of COVID‐19 on perinatal care: Perceptions of family physicians in the United States

Background Patient‐centered care is the best practice in the care of pregnant and postpartum patients. The COVID‐19 pandemic prompted changes in perinatal care policies, which were often reactive, resulting in unintended consequences, many of which made the delivery of patient‐centered care more difficult. This study aimed to understand the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on perinatal health care delivery from the perspective of family physicians in the United States. Methods From October 5 to November 4, 2020, we surveyed mid‐ to late‐career family physicians who provide perinatal care. We conducted descriptive analyses to measure the impact of COVID‐19 on prenatal care, labor and delivery, postpartum care, patient experience, and patient volume. An immersion‐crystallization approach was used to analyze qualitative data provided as open‐text comments. Results Of the 1518 survey respondents, 1062 (69.8%) stated that they currently attend births; 595 of those elaborated about the impact of COVID‐19 on perinatal care in free‐text comments. Eight themes emerged related to the impact of COVID‐19 on perinatal care: visitation, patient decisions, testing, personal protective equipment, care continuity, changes in care delivery, reassignment, and volume. The greatest perceived impact of COVID‐19 was on patient experience. Conclusions Family physicians who provided perinatal care during the COVID‐19 pandemic noted a considerable impact on patient experience, which particularly affected the ability to deliver patient‐centered and family‐centered care. Continued research is needed to understand the long‐term impact of policies affecting the delivery of patient‐centered perinatal care and to inform more evidence‐based, proactive policies to be implemented in future pandemic or disaster situations.