Observational studyBMC pregnancy and childbirth2021
Resilience and vulnerability of maternity services in Zimbabwe: a comparative analysis of the effect of Covid-19 and lockdown control measures on maternal and perinatal outcomes, a single-centre cross-sectional study at Mpilo Central Hospital.
Observational study in BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 23 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
23 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 77 citations in OpenAlex.
- The impact of COVID-19 mitigation measures on neonatal health outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Public health · 2025Pooled it
- Impact of COVID-19 on Maternal Health Service Uptake and Perinatal Outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2024Pooled it
- Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on access to and delivery of maternal and child healthcare services in low-and middle-income countries: a systematic review of the literature.Frontiers in public health · 2024Pooled it
- COVID-19 pandemic and population-level pregnancy and neonatal outcomes in general population: A living systematic review and meta-analysis (Update#2: November 20, 2021).Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica · 2022Pooled it
- Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and pregnancy and neonatal outcomes in general population: A living systematic review and meta-analysis (updated Aug 14, 2021).Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica · 2022Pooled it
- The impact of COVID-19 first wave national lockdowns on perinatal outcomes: a rapid review and meta-analysis.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2021Pooled it
- COVID-19 pandemic and population-level pregnancy and neonatal outcomes: a living systematic review and meta-analysis.Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica · 2021Pooled it
- Disruptions in perinatal outcomes across Manitoba, Canada: before and over 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic.BMJ paediatrics open · 2026Article
- Understanding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and its control measures on women and children: a Zimbabwean case study.Frontiers in public health · 2025Article
- "Getting pregnant during COVID-19 was a big risk because getting help from the clinic was not easy": COVID-19 experiences of women and healthcare providers in Harare, Zimbabwe.PLOS global public health · 2024Article
- Perceptions of health care workers on maternal and child health services in Pakistan during COVID-19: A cross-sectional study.Dialogues in health · 2023Article
- Effects of COVID-19 on malaria elimination initiatives in sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review protocol.BMJ open · 2023Article
- Preterm birth and stillbirth rates associated with socioeconomic disparities during COVID-19 pandemic: a population-based cross-sectional study.BMJ paediatrics open · 2023Article
- Comparison of adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes using archival medical records before and during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo: a facility-based, retrospective cohort study.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2023Article
- An integrative literature review on the impact of COVID-19 on maternal and child health in Africa.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2023Review
- Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on obstetrical care at a tertiary care facility in Mombasa, Kenya: Time-series analyses and staff perspectives.PLOS global public health · 2023Article
- COVID-19 impacts on healthcare access in sub-Saharan Africa: an overview.The journal of venomous animals and toxins including tropical diseases · 2023Article
- Using electronic medical records to understand the impact of SARS-CoV-2 lockdown measures on maternal and neonatal outcomes in Kampala, Uganda.PLOS global public health · 2023Article
- Fetal death after the introduction of COVID-19 mitigation measures in Sweden, Denmark and Norway: a registry-based study.Scientific reports · 2022Article
- Observational
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundOn the 27
methodsThis was a retrospective, observational study, using a cross-sectional design to compare routine monthly maternal and perinatal statistics three months before and after Covid-19 emergency measures were implemented at Mpilo Central Hospital.
resultsBetween January-March and April-June 2020, the mean monthly deliveries reduced from 747.3 (SD ± 61.3) in the first quarter of 2020 to 681.0 (SD ± 17.6) during lockdown, but this was not statistically significant, p = 0.20. The Caesarean section rates fell from a mean of 29.8% (SD ± 1.7) versus 28.0% (SD ± 1.7), which was also not statistically significant, p = 0.18. During lockdown, the percentage of women delivering at Mpilo Central Hospital who were booked at the hospital fell from a mean of 41.6% (SD ± 1.1) to 35.8% (SD ± 4.3) which was statistically significant, p = 0.03. There was no significant change, however, in maternal mortality or severe maternal morbidity (such as post-partum haemorrhage (PPH), uterine rupture, and severe preeclampsia/eclampsia), stillbirth rate or special care baby unit admission. There was an increase in the mean total number of early neonatal deaths (ENND) (mean 18.7 (SD ± 2.9) versus 24.0 (SD ± 4.6), but this was not statistically significant, p = 0.32.
conclusionsOverall, maternity services at Mpilo showed resilience during the lockdown period, with no significant change in maternal and perinatal adverse outcomes, with the same number of man-hours worked before and during the lockdown Maternal and perinatal outcomes should continue to be monitored to assess the impact of Covid-19 and the lockdown measures as the pandemic in Zimbabwe unfolds. Further studies would be beneficial to explore women's experiences and understand how bookings and deliveries at local clinics changed during this time.
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