There were significantly fewer in-person antenatal check-ups and ultrasounds conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic than before COVID-19 [
[72]- Cesano N.
- D’Ambrosi F.
- Cetera G.E.
- et al.
Maternity ward management and COVID-19 pandemic: experience of a single center in Northern Italy during lockdown.
]. The antenatal appointments were either cancelled, delayed, or replaced with online or virtual classes or telephone appointments. More than half the mothers (51.8–55.1 %) in McMillan [
[64]- McMillan I.F.
- Armstrong L.M.
- Langhinrichsen-Rohling J.
Transitioning to parenthood during the pandemic: COVID-19 related stressors and first-time expectant mothers’ mental health.
], Sanders and Blaylock [
[41]“Anxious and traumatised”: users’ experiences of maternity care in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic.
] and Burgess [
[51]- Burgess A.
- Breman R.B.
- Bradley D.
- Dada S.
- Burcher P.
Pregnant women's reports of the impact of COVID-19 on pregnancy, prenatal care, and infant feeding plans.
] studies reported a change to virtual antenatal visits or telephone or video calls. Some mothers praised virtual consultations and telemedicine as time-saving, efficient, and providing access to healthcare professionals [
40- Meaney S.
- Leitao S.
- Olander E.K.
- Pope J.
- Matvienko-Sikar K.
The impact of COVID-19 on pregnant womens’ experiences and perceptions of antenatal maternity care, social support, and stress-reduction strategies.
,
56- Linden K.
- Domgren N.
- Zaigham M.
- Sengpiel V.
- Andersson M.E.
- Wessberg A.
Being in the shadow of the unknown—Swedish women’s lived experiences of pregnancy during the COVID-19 pandemic, a phenomenological study.
,
59- Perez A.
- Panagiotopoulou E.
- Curtis P.
- Roberts R.
Barriers and facilitators to mood and confidence in pregnancy and early parenthood during COVID-19 in the UK: mixed-methods synthesis survey.
,
73- Malik M.
- Prescott K.
- Khalid M.
- Hashmi A.
- Kiani A.
Expectations and experiences of women regarding maternal healthcare services in Pakistan: challenges and lessons to be learnt.
]. Although 61.4 % of mothers in Burgess’ study [
[51]- Burgess A.
- Breman R.B.
- Bradley D.
- Dada S.
- Burcher P.
Pregnant women's reports of the impact of COVID-19 on pregnancy, prenatal care, and infant feeding plans.
] were satisfied with virtual care and 86 % reported adequate antenatal care, 93.2 % still preferred face-to-face classes. On the other hand, 73.4 % of mothers in Stampini’s study [
[74]- Stampini V.
- Monzani A.
- Caristia S.
- et al.
The perception of Italian pregnant women and new mothers about their psychological wellbeing, lifestyle, delivery, and neonatal management experience during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown: a web-based survey.
] do not plan to or did not participate in the online birth course. The inadequacy of virtual appointments in meeting parents’ needs was reflected in qualitative findings as well [
40- Meaney S.
- Leitao S.
- Olander E.K.
- Pope J.
- Matvienko-Sikar K.
The impact of COVID-19 on pregnant womens’ experiences and perceptions of antenatal maternity care, social support, and stress-reduction strategies.
,
41“Anxious and traumatised”: users’ experiences of maternity care in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic.
,
51- Burgess A.
- Breman R.B.
- Bradley D.
- Dada S.
- Burcher P.
Pregnant women's reports of the impact of COVID-19 on pregnancy, prenatal care, and infant feeding plans.
,
54- Jackson L.
- De Pascalis L.
- Harrold J.A.
- Fallon V.
- Silverio S.A.
Postpartum women’s experiences of social and healthcare professional support during the COVID-19 pandemic: a recurrent cross-sectional thematic analysis.
,
60- Poulos N.S.
- García M.H.
- Bouchacourt L.
- Mackert M.
- Mandell D.J.
Fatherhood during COVID-19: fathers' perspectives on pregnancy and prenatal care.
,
71Making good care essential: the impact of increased obstetric interventions and decreased services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
], where “a lot of women had fallen through the cracks (missed appointments) during the switch to virtual” [
[41]“Anxious and traumatised”: users’ experiences of maternity care in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic.
] and parents were unsure if they were doing the birth exercises correctly [
58- Wilson A.N.
- Sweet L.
- Vasilevski V.
- et al.
Australian women's experiences of receiving maternity care during the COVID‐19 pandemic: a cross‐sectional national survey.
,
60- Poulos N.S.
- García M.H.
- Bouchacourt L.
- Mackert M.
- Mandell D.J.
Fatherhood during COVID-19: fathers' perspectives on pregnancy and prenatal care.
]. The cancellation of in-person antenatal appointments and education created a sense of loss among parents as it removed a much-needed source of education for parents, especially new parents [
40- Meaney S.
- Leitao S.
- Olander E.K.
- Pope J.
- Matvienko-Sikar K.
The impact of COVID-19 on pregnant womens’ experiences and perceptions of antenatal maternity care, social support, and stress-reduction strategies.
,
43- Riley V.
- Ellis N.
- Mackay L.
- Taylor J.
The impact of COVID-19 restrictions on women's pregnancy and postpartum experience in England: a qualitative exploration.
,
44- Breman R.B.
- Neerland C.
- Bradley D.
- Burgess A.
- Barr E.
- Burcher P.
Giving birth during the COVID‐19 pandemic, perspectives from a sample of the United States birthing persons during the first wave: March‐June 2020.
,
51- Burgess A.
- Breman R.B.
- Bradley D.
- Dada S.
- Burcher P.
Pregnant women's reports of the impact of COVID-19 on pregnancy, prenatal care, and infant feeding plans.
,
56- Linden K.
- Domgren N.
- Zaigham M.
- Sengpiel V.
- Andersson M.E.
- Wessberg A.
Being in the shadow of the unknown—Swedish women’s lived experiences of pregnancy during the COVID-19 pandemic, a phenomenological study.
,
59- Perez A.
- Panagiotopoulou E.
- Curtis P.
- Roberts R.
Barriers and facilitators to mood and confidence in pregnancy and early parenthood during COVID-19 in the UK: mixed-methods synthesis survey.
,
60- Poulos N.S.
- García M.H.
- Bouchacourt L.
- Mackert M.
- Mandell D.J.
Fatherhood during COVID-19: fathers' perspectives on pregnancy and prenatal care.
,
75- Kolker S.
- Biringer A.
- Bytautas J.
- Blumenfeld H.
- Kukan S.
- Carroll J.C.
Pregnant during the COVID-19 pandemic: an exploration of patients’ lived experiences.
,
76- Vasilevski V.
- Sweet L.
- Bradfield Z.
- et al.
Receiving maternity care during the COVID-19 pandemic: Experiences of women’s partners and support persons.
]. Mothers were also concerned about not having physical check-ups to gauge whether their pregnancy was going fine [
57- Sweet L.
- Wilson A.N.
- Bradfield Z.
- et al.
Childbearing women’s experiences of the maternity care system in Australia during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
,
59- Perez A.
- Panagiotopoulou E.
- Curtis P.
- Roberts R.
Barriers and facilitators to mood and confidence in pregnancy and early parenthood during COVID-19 in the UK: mixed-methods synthesis survey.
,
65- Stacey T.
- Darwin Z.
- Keely A.
- Smith A.
- Farmer D.
- Heighway K.
Experiences of maternity care during the COVID-19 pandemic in the North of England.
,
68- Schrøder K.
- Stokholm L.
- Rubin K.H.
- et al.
Concerns about transmission, changed services and place of birth in the early COVID-19 pandemic: a national survey among Danish pregnant women. The COVIDPregDK study.
,
69- Kumari A.
- Ranjan P.
- Sharma K.A.
- et al.
Impact of COVID‐19 on psychosocial functioning of peripartum women: a qualitative study comprising focus group discussions and in‐depth interviews.
,
77- Smorti M.
- Ponti L.
- Ionio C.
- Gallese M.
- Andreol A.
- Bonassi L.
Becoming a mother during the COVID‐19 national lockdown in Italy: Issues linked to the wellbeing of pregnant women.
] and whether the lack of in-person antenatal classes would affect their childbirth and childcare abilities [
44- Breman R.B.
- Neerland C.
- Bradley D.
- Burgess A.
- Barr E.
- Burcher P.
Giving birth during the COVID‐19 pandemic, perspectives from a sample of the United States birthing persons during the first wave: March‐June 2020.
,
68- Schrøder K.
- Stokholm L.
- Rubin K.H.
- et al.
Concerns about transmission, changed services and place of birth in the early COVID-19 pandemic: a national survey among Danish pregnant women. The COVIDPregDK study.
]. In-person antenatal appointments were harder to schedule and reduced in frequency with shorter consultation time and longer intervals, which led to anxiety and nervousness among mothers, especially those with medical complications [
40- Meaney S.
- Leitao S.
- Olander E.K.
- Pope J.
- Matvienko-Sikar K.
The impact of COVID-19 on pregnant womens’ experiences and perceptions of antenatal maternity care, social support, and stress-reduction strategies.
,
41“Anxious and traumatised”: users’ experiences of maternity care in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic.
,
44- Breman R.B.
- Neerland C.
- Bradley D.
- Burgess A.
- Barr E.
- Burcher P.
Giving birth during the COVID‐19 pandemic, perspectives from a sample of the United States birthing persons during the first wave: March‐June 2020.
,
51- Burgess A.
- Breman R.B.
- Bradley D.
- Dada S.
- Burcher P.
Pregnant women's reports of the impact of COVID-19 on pregnancy, prenatal care, and infant feeding plans.
,
57- Sweet L.
- Wilson A.N.
- Bradfield Z.
- et al.
Childbearing women’s experiences of the maternity care system in Australia during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
,
59- Perez A.
- Panagiotopoulou E.
- Curtis P.
- Roberts R.
Barriers and facilitators to mood and confidence in pregnancy and early parenthood during COVID-19 in the UK: mixed-methods synthesis survey.
,
69- Kumari A.
- Ranjan P.
- Sharma K.A.
- et al.
Impact of COVID‐19 on psychosocial functioning of peripartum women: a qualitative study comprising focus group discussions and in‐depth interviews.
,
71Making good care essential: the impact of increased obstetric interventions and decreased services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
,
73- Malik M.
- Prescott K.
- Khalid M.
- Hashmi A.
- Kiani A.
Expectations and experiences of women regarding maternal healthcare services in Pakistan: challenges and lessons to be learnt.
,
78- Panda S.
- O'Malley D.
- Barry P.
- Vallejo N.
- Smith V.
Women's views and experiences of maternity care during COVID-19 in Ireland: a qualitative descriptive study.
]. A survey by Meaney and colleagues [
[40]- Meaney S.
- Leitao S.
- Olander E.K.
- Pope J.
- Matvienko-Sikar K.
The impact of COVID-19 on pregnant womens’ experiences and perceptions of antenatal maternity care, social support, and stress-reduction strategies.
] reported that 38.2 % of mothers preferred more antenatal check-ups, and 34.3 % found the interval between appointments to be too long and 35 % would prefer more time with the healthcare professionals. However, 78.1% of mothers were satisfied with the waiting time at hospitals [
[40]- Meaney S.
- Leitao S.
- Olander E.K.
- Pope J.
- Matvienko-Sikar K.
The impact of COVID-19 on pregnant womens’ experiences and perceptions of antenatal maternity care, social support, and stress-reduction strategies.
]. Mothers shared that hospitals were more peaceful, less crowded, and processes were more streamlined and efficient resulting in shorter waiting times [
43- Riley V.
- Ellis N.
- Mackay L.
- Taylor J.
The impact of COVID-19 restrictions on women's pregnancy and postpartum experience in England: a qualitative exploration.
,
52- Cullen S.
- Doherty J.
- Brosnan M.
Women's views on the visiting restrictions during COVID-19 in an Irish maternity hospital.
,
78- Panda S.
- O'Malley D.
- Barry P.
- Vallejo N.
- Smith V.
Women's views and experiences of maternity care during COVID-19 in Ireland: a qualitative descriptive study.
]. Additionally, mothers were also disappointed by the decreased options of birth tools (e.g., birthing ball) [
[79]- Hui P.
- Ma G.
- Seto M.T.
- Cheung K.
Effect of COVID-19 on delivery plans and postnatal depression scores of pregnant women.
], birth options (e.g., water birth) [
[44]- Breman R.B.
- Neerland C.
- Bradley D.
- Burgess A.
- Barr E.
- Burcher P.
Giving birth during the COVID‐19 pandemic, perspectives from a sample of the United States birthing persons during the first wave: March‐June 2020.
], and pregnancy therapies (e.g. yoga, hydrotherapy, acupuncture) [
44- Breman R.B.
- Neerland C.
- Bradley D.
- Burgess A.
- Barr E.
- Burcher P.
Giving birth during the COVID‐19 pandemic, perspectives from a sample of the United States birthing persons during the first wave: March‐June 2020.
,
71Making good care essential: the impact of increased obstetric interventions and decreased services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
] during the pandemic period.