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Other content tagged: pandemic

Development of a WHO Core Outcome Set (COS) for maternal and perinatal health for the next epidemic or pandemic: involvement of EFCNI in the process

EFCNI contributes to efforts by the World Health Organization (WHO) to develop a Core Outcome Set (COS) for maternal and perinatal health in anticipation of future epidemics or pandemics. Joining an international expert group, led by EFCNI Chairwoman Silke Mader, we advocate for considering and incorporating crucial patient perspectives. Maternal and perinatal health are often directly and indirectly affected during outbreaks of infectious diseases. The consequences can be dire. Women and their families face uncertainty and confusion as access to…
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Experiences on delivery and breastfeeding practices in Beijing, China during Covid-19

A Chinese study compared women’s experiences who delivered before and during the lockdown regarding feeding practices and childbearing. Interestingly, breastfeeding was seemingly positively influenced by the lockdown, the study from Beijing shows. The COVID-19 pandemic had a tremendous impact on all aspects of life, including pregnant and delivering women and their families. Despite the severity of the virus, the WHO recommended breastfeeding during the pandemic, when taking suitable precautions, as human milk is the optimal…
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Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health and quality of life in children and adolescents

With the use of an online questionnaire, more than 5000 families in the region of South Tyrol, Italy, were asked about the consequences of the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic for mental health and quality of life of children and adolescents. The results show that the pandemic was not only a burden for parents, but severely affected social and family life, media use, health and finally quality of life in children and adolescents (7-19…
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Maintaining human milk bank services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic

Human Milk Bank (HMB) services have been impacted by the global COVID-19 pandemic. To better understand the impact, a Virtual Communication Network (VCN) was formed to collect data and experiences from HMBs across 35 countries. Every year approx. 800,000 infants receive donor human milk (DHM) worldwide. However, seven pandemic-related vulnerabilities to HMB service provision were identified. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends donor human milk from milk banks (HMB) as the next best…
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Health-related quality of life among Ethiopian pregnant women during COVID-19 pandemic

Several studies revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic has increased stress, anxiety and symptoms of depression. Additionally, previous studies have shown that social support during pregnancy has a positive impact on the mental health of women in general. Since the changes during the pandemic have also caused social distancing, this may have created a negative effect on pregnant women’s well-being. The study by Dule et al. investigated the health-related quality of life of pregnant women…
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Generational effects of COVID-19: Elevated anxiety during pregnancy has negative impact on infants

A self-report questionnaire in pregnant women in Alberta reveals that stress resulting from specific concerns about COVID-19 exceeds expected levels and is higher than that experienced by other groups of people. Social support and physical activity appeared as potential protective factors. The global COVID-19 pandemic has provided a platform to study the impact of severe disease outbreak and subsequent quarantine on mental health issues. Since these issues are heightened in…
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Family-centred care in times of the pandemic

An interview with Atle Moen Dear Dr Moen, In your paper „If parents were a drug“ [accessible via Wiley Online Library], you describe how involving parents in care procedures and giving them an opportunity to provide skin-to-skin care, has proven to be beneficial for hospitalised newborns in short and long-term outcomes. You also claim that if these evidence-based benefits could be administered in form of a drug, the common practice would most likely be to give this drug to the…
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