Pregnant women and mothers with young children hit hardest by coronavirus upheaval

Already struggling childcare sector has been pushed into crisis mode during the pandemic, Maya Oppenheim finds

The already struggling childcare sector has been pushed into crisis mode during the pandemic (AFP/Getty Images)

A troubling new study has found that nine in 10 women say their birth choices were changed because of the coronavirus crisis – but the impact of the pandemic on pregnant women and mothers of young children has gone far further than the maternity ward.

Women with young children are among those who have fared worst as a result of the coronavirus emergency, as childcare providers have been thrown into chaos and studies have shown that women have borne the brunt of childcare responsibilities and homeschooling.

Make Birth Better, a campaign group that polled 458 pregnant women for a study shared exclusively with The Independent, said women have been forced to give birth without partners and have had less access to pain relief during the Covid-19 upheaval.

Half of those polled were forced to alter their childbirth plans, while half of those reliant on support from a specialist mental health midwife said their help had been halted.

Dr Edward Morris, president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said the findings shine a light on the challenges many pregnant women and their partners faced when accessing maternity care during the “peak of the pandemic and beyond”.

He added: “The NHS made arrangements to ensure that women were supported and cared for safely through pregnancy, birth and the period afterwards during the pandemic. These changes were necessary to allow maternity staff to care for pregnant women and protect them from coronavirus while ensuring NHS staff and services were also protected. However, we realise that the changes to maternity care caused many women a great deal of anxiety and stress.

“We realise that there still are some aspects of care during the Covid-19 pandemic that we need to work together with NHS England, government and others to improve, including access to maternal mental health support, and we are working hard to try and do just that.”

Lizzie D’Angelo, of baby charity Tommy’s, said they “really empathised” with everyone whose maternity care has been impacted.

“Especially those going through pregnancy complications and loss,” she added. “Hospitals must keep their patients safe from the very real risk of Covid-19, but it’s essential that parents-to-be receive the care and support they’re entitled to.”

The already struggling childcare sector has been pushed into crisis mode during the pandemic – with campaigners, unions and politicians warning that the dearth of childminders and other providers could drive women out of the workplace.

A recent report by Early Years Alliance found that one in 10 have been unable to access any formal childcare whatsoever since the nationwide lockdown started to lift, in spite of needing such support. 

While all children have been allowed to go to nurseries, pre-schools and childminders in England since the beginning June, about a third of providers were yet to open their doors ahead of the summer holidays. A shortfall of financial support from government, combined with new safety measures, is placing the sector at risk of falling apart after years of not receiving enough funding. A quarter of childcare providers are anxious they could be closed by next year.