Beyond the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study on the experience of new mothers

Journal title RICERCHE DI PSICOLOGIA
Author/s Federica Bonazza, Marta Ferrario, Emanuela Saita, Maurizio Barbieri Carones, Enrico Ferrazzi, Sara Molgora
Publishing Year 2026 Issue 2025/2
Language Italian Pages 20 P. 37-56 File size 0 KB
DOI 10.3280/rip2025oa20962
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The global COVID-19 pandemic has drastically reshaped our society, imposing quarantine and social restrictions and posing serious threats to physical and mental health, particularly for vulnerable groups, including pregnant women. This study aims to explore the transition to parenthood experiences of new mothers who lived conception and pregnancy during the pandemic in order to outline possible support and care pathways based on needs that were particularly evident during the emergency. The study uses a qualitative approach and includes 40 women who were interviewed in the hospital 24-48 hours after delivery. The interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. The transcripts were subjected to thematic analysis. Six themes were developed with related sub-themes: “Emotional experiences”, “Changes before and after pregnancy”, “Resources”, “Difficulties”, “Consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic”, and “Expectations for the future”.

Some women's experiences appeared to be universal and typical of motherhood, while others were specific and contextualized within the pandemic scenario. Carrying a pregnancy to term and giving birth to a child encompasses a range of experiences, including those that are unplanned, as they depend on the context. The fear of not being able to cope physically and psychologically is part of the normative growth process; however, the pandemic has specifically shaped this experience. Healthcare providers should pay attention to women’s experiences of pregnancy and childbirth during the pandemic in order to identify postpartum needs and possible strategies for improving current care practices.

Keywords: pregnancy;childbirth;COVID-19;qualitative study;thematic analysis

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Federica Bonazza, Marta Ferrario, Emanuela Saita, Maurizio Barbieri Carones, Enrico Ferrazzi, Sara Molgora, Oltre la pandemia da COVID-19: uno studio qualitativo sull’esperienza delle neomamme in "RICERCHE DI PSICOLOGIA" 2/2025, pp 37-56, DOI: 10.3280/rip2025oa20962