“Fear and anxiety is what I recall the best.": A phenomenological examination of mothers’ pregnancy experiences during COVID-19 in the United States

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this phenomenological study is to understand mothers’ lived pregnancy experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design: A qualitative, phenomenological study Setting: Participants completed the demographic survey online and semi-structured interviews, via video conferencing between November and December 2021 Participants: A sample of 28 mothers who were pregnant during the COVID-19 pandemic participated in the study. Methods and Results: An inductive, thematic approach was used to analyze the data. Two central themes and eight subthemes emerged from the six-phase thematic analysis. The first central theme, Depth of Knowledge About COVID-19, included the following subthemes: 1) Vaccines and 2) Uncertainty for Exposure. The second central theme, Impacts of COVID-19, had six subthemes: 1) Types of Support Received, 2) COVID-19 Restrictions, 3) Childcare, 4) Mental Health, 5) Spending More Time at Home, and 6) Isolation. Conclusions: Findings of this study revealed mothers experienced a significant amount of stress and anxiety related to the coronavirus pandemic during their pregnancy. Implications for practice: Our findings highlight the need to provide pregnant mothers comprehensive care, including mental health services, adequate access to social support, and providing clear information regarding COVID-19 vaccination and its impacts on pregnancy.