The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Pregnancy, Birth Experiences, and Mental Health: Voices from Women in Puerto Rico

Objectives: The specific aims of the project are: (1) Examine the impact of COVID-19 on pregnancy experiences and outcomes; (2) Examine the mental health impact of COVID-19 in pregnant women and mothers of children 12 months or younger; (3) Identify risk and protective factors among this population in Puerto Rico.

Methods: Participants were recruited from the Puerto Rico Team for Exploring Contamination Threats (PROTECT) Superfund Program, which is composed of pregnant women and mothers from the northern karst region of Puerto Rico. The research had a mixed methods approach with a quantitative survey (n = 184) and qualitative interviews (n = 10); data collection was done in virtual mode.

Results: Findings from the qualitative interviews highlight the experiences regarding access to healthcare services, pregnancy and birth experiences, social support, and mental health during the pandemic among women with young children. These narratives serve to illustrate the particular challenges and opportunities that the participants faced during the year 2021 in regard to maternal health in Puerto Rico.

Conclusions for practice: COVID-19 restrictions impacted the experiences in receiving healthcare services, particularly regarding the birthing process and the participants' mental health. Social support, particularly from family, was found to be a protective factor for facing the challenges during pandemic times. We expect that the findings can lead to the development of interventions for community health centers, prenatal clinics, non-governmental organizations, and parents/caretakers in Puerto Rico.