Jensen et al., February 2021 | Child health services during a COVID-19 outbreak in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa | South African Medical Journal | Retrospective study | Peer reviewed | Direct and Indirect effects of COVID-19 on children | South Africa | Child health services | COVID-19 has led to a disruption in service access and utilization, service delivery and child well-being. There has also been reduction in hospital admissions. |
Gray et al., January 2021 | COVID-19 and Pediatric Lung Disease: A South African Tertiary Center Experience | Frontiers in pediatrics | Literature review | Peer reviewed | Direct and Indirect effects on under-18-year old | South Africa | Child health outcomes with chronic lung disease globally | Pre-existing childhood respiratory disease does not appear to be significantly associated with severe COVID-19 disease. Longitudinal data is needed to assess the risk of COVID1-19 in children with immunosuppression and interstitial lung diseases. |
Oluwasola et al., January 2021 | COVID-19 and its implications for obstetrics and gynecology practice in Africa | Pan African Medical Journal | A review | Peer reviewed | Direct and Indirect effects on pregnancy, labour and delivery | Africa | Obstetrics and gynecologic practice in Africa | The COVID-19 pandemic will negatively affect obstetrics and gynecology practices. Some of the effects include reduced antenatal attendance and disruption in routine essential services. The provision and utilization of reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health services are likely to be reduced. |
Kotlar et al., January 2021 | The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal and perinatal health: a scoping review | Reproductive health | Scoping review | Peer reviewed | Direct and Indirect effects of on maternal and perinatal health | Worldwide | Maternal and perinatal health | Apart from the direct effects of COVID-19 on reproductive and perinatal health, indirect impacts resulting from changes in health care, social, and economic situations have been noted. The health outcomes of pregnant women who have symptomatic COVID-19 may be more severe than people who are not pregnant. |
Tadesse et al., December 2020 | Antenatal Care Service Utilization of Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care in Public Hospitals During the COVID-19 Pandemic Period | International journal of women's health | Cross-sectional study | Peer reviewed | Direct and Indirect effects on pregnancy, labour and delivery | Ethiopia | Antenatal care utilization | Antenatal care utilization was negatively impacted by maternal age; residency status; educational status; still birth history; maternity service diversion and interruption, COVID-19 pandemic fear, and transportation challenges. |
Murewanhema et al., November 2020 | Restoring and maintaining robust maternity services in the COVID-19 era: a public health dilemma in Zimbabwe | Pan African Medical Journal | Commentary | Peer reviewed | Direct effects on pregnancy, labour and delivery | Zimbabwe | Maternity service utilization and recommendations | Restricting access to maternity care may have more dire consequences than COVID-19. There is an urgent need to restore and maintain full maternity services, in line with the World Health Organization's guidance on maintaining essential health services during the COVID-19 era. |
Pires et al., November 2020 | COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Maternal and Child Health Services Access in Nampula, Mozambique: A Mixed Methods Research. | Research Square preprint | Mixed methods research | Preprint | Direct and Indirect effects of pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, labor and delivery | Mozambique | Access to maternal and children health services | COVID-19 has negatively affected maternal and child health; reductions in maternity hospital deliveries, childhood vaccination, family planning visit, ante-natal visit and increases in home deliveries. |
Banke-Thomas et al., November 2020 | Utilization cost of maternity services for childbirth among pregnant women with coronavirus disease 2019 in Nigeria's epicenter | Obstetrics | Cross-sectional study (Hospital-based cost analysis) | Peer reviewed | Indirect effects on pregnancy | Nigeria | Maternal services utilization costs | COVID-19 has directly impacted cost of maternity service utilization especially as governmental exemptions become unavailable, reduction of donations and presence of fees attributable to universal testing. Such huge costs of care may become unaffordable especially for pregnant women with COVID-19. |
Ogunkola et al., November 2020 | Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on antenatal healthcare services in Sub-Saharan Africa | Public Health in Practice | Letter to the editor | Not applicable | Direct and Indirect effects on pregnancy | Africa | Antenatal healthcare services | African governments must ensure antenatal care services and other related healthcare services are not disrupted due to the urgent need to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. |
Pallangyo et al., October 2020 | The impact of COVID-19 on midwives' practice in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania: A reflective account | Midwifery | Commentary | Peer reviewed | Direct and Indirect effects on pregnancy, labour and delivery | Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda | Midwifery practice | COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated an already elevated maternal and neonatal mortality in East Africa. This trend is likely to continue in future despite the best efforts of midwives and other health professionals with a likely resultant upward surge in the numbers of COVID-19 related deaths in reproductive age women. |
Wangamati et al., September 2020 | The ramifications of COVID-19 on maternal health in Kenya | Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters | Commentary | Peer reviewed | Direct and Indirect effects on pregnancy, labour and delivery | Kenya | Maternal health ramifications and recommendations | Resources meant for maternal health services have been reallocation to cater for COVID-19 patients thereby negatively affecting maternal health service delivery. The absence of an emergency preparedness plan due to inadequate human and financial resources was underscored. |
Shikuku et al., September 2020 | Early indirect impact of COVID-19 pandemic on utilization and outcomes of reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health services in Kenya | MedRxiv preprint | Cross sectional study | Preprint | Indirect effects of COVID-19 on utilization and outcomes of reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health services | Kenya | Hospital attendance for select reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health services | The increase in adolescent pregnancy, adolescent maternal death and still birth rates in Kenya may be attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic. There are concerns about the loss of recent gains achieved in maternal and perinatal health. |
Saso et al., September 2020 | Impact of COVID-19 on Immunization Services for Maternal and Infant Vaccines: Results of a Survey Conducted by immunizing Pregnant Women and Infants Network | Vaccines | Cross sectional study | Peer reviewed | Indirect effects on immunization services | Worldwide | Maternal, child and perinatal immunization services. | Three key themes underscore immunization disruptions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic: access issues, provider issues and user concern or COVID-19 fears. |
Eghtessadi et al., August 2020 | Safeguarding gains in the sexual and reproductive health and AIDS response amidst COVID-19: The role of African civil society | International journal of infectious diseases | Commentary | Peer reviewed | Indirect effects on pregnancy and adolescent population | Africa | Sexual and reproductive health | Civil society organizations must be engaged in efforts to mitigate COVID-19 detrimental effects on sexual and reproductive health (SRH) outcomes. They should apply the following five principal actions: 1) accountability of governments around optimal use of COVID-19 funds and resources; 2) keeping sexual and reproductive health and HIV central to the Universal Health Coverage agenda; 3) lobbying governments to invest in innovative and good practice models; 4) mitigate the gendered impact of COVID-19 and 5) advocate that African governments remain vigilant in securing access to new therapeutics at reasonable cost from the global market. |
Nandi et al., August 2020 | SARS-CoV-2 in Malawi: Are we sacrificing the Youth in sub-Saharan Africa? | Journal of global health | Commentary | Peer reviewed | Indirect effects on childhood population | Malawi | Pediatric admissions, human resources for health | Public health measures that have been implemented to prevent and control the spread of COVID-19 disproportionally affect the youth. These measures have resulted in the loss of national and international medical staff at one of Africa's biggest children's department, decrease in pediatric bed occupancy etc. Given the variation in countries' capacity to respond to infectious diseases, public health measures must be adapted to the context of any given country. |
Shakespeare et al, August 2020 | 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 at Mpilo Central Hospital. | Research Square preprint | Retrospective study | Preprint | Effects on pregnancy, labour and delivery | Zimbabwe | Maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality | Lockdown measures did not increase maternal or severe maternal morbidity. There was a minor increase in early neonatal death. There is a need for continuous monitoring of these trends. |
Ezenwa et al., May 2020 | Management of COVID-19: a practical guideline for maternal and newborn health care providers in Sub-Saharan Africa | The journal of maternal-fetal & neonatal medicine | Clinical guidelines | Peer reviewed | Direct effects on pregnancy, labour and delivery | Nigeria | Maternal and newborn clinical guidelines. | A Clinical guideline (aligned with WHO COVID-19 management objectives) has been proposed. The guideline will be revised as new evidence and information about COVID-19 in maternal and newborn care emerges |