Adiel Joy P.

Calsa (BSN2 – Barnard A)

September 5, 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed a lot of things and has affected the world in so
many ways. New protocols had to be observed, countries have mandated community quarantines
and lockdowns, and human activity has been limited ever since this pandemic has started. As a
nursing student studying this subject, I have done my research regarding what has changed in
the status of maternal and child health in the Philippines.

Due to the pandemic, prenatal check-ups and cares of pregnant mothers decreased due
to anxiety and fear of acquiring COVID from hospitals or clinics. Lockdowns and community
quarantines have also contributed to the reason why some mothers were not able to have their
prenatal check-up. In a journal published by Kotlar, et al. (2021), a “high frequency of maternal
mental health problems, such as clinically relevant anxiety and depression” during the COVID-19
pandemic are reported in many countries. I can also attest to this since I know some pregnant
women who are getting anxious by just thinking about the current situation of the world. They
would usually express their worries about going to the hospital for check-ups and for their delivery
and confinement, and as well as stating their fears of their child’s development being affected due
to the restrictions imposed by the government. I have also seen some posts made by mothers
who are breastfeeding their child and one of their worries is that if they are COVID-19 positive,
the child might get the virus from the breastmilk. However, the World Health Organization (2020)
stated that “to date, COVID-19 has not been detected in the breastmilk of any mother with
confirmed or suspected COVID-19 and while researchers continue to conduct tests, it appears
unlikely that COVID-19 would be transmitted through breastfeeding or by giving breastmilk that
has been expressed by a mother who is confirmed or suspected to have COVID-19.”

Another thing about maternal and child health here in the Philippines is that the pregnancy
rates are continuously increasing and experts say that the Philippines is expected to face a “baby
boom” – which is actually a problem since the healthcare system in the country is already maxed
out due to COVID. Currently, especially in places where cases of COVID-19 are high, going to
the hospital is something that most mothers are worried about. I am not quite sure whether this
applies to all hospitals, but I have learned that most hospitals would require a RT-PCR test for
mothers before they give birth.

Another problem that occurred during the pandemic is that it is hard for mothers to seek
medical attention and help for their children. First, mothers are too anxious to bring their child to
a healthcare facility or a clinic since they are worried that their child might be potentially exposed
to the virus. Furthermore, there are limited schedules only to have their child checked by a doctor
due to protocols and most of the time, doctors only do virtual consultations – which some parents
are quite hesitant to do due to several reasons (they feel like it’s not as effective as a face-to-face
check-up, lack of access to the internet and gadgets, etc). We cannot blame these mothers and
parents since their concern is definitely valid. Children can get the virus too if they are exposed.
In fact, I have learned that lots of kids are actually positive for COVID and it was reported recently
in Cebu that 58 children tested positive.

These are only some of the things that the COVID-19 has changed to the maternal and
child health status here in the Philippines. It can be noticed that the majority of these changes are
negative and thus, certain things must be done to fix these issues and/or problems as soon as
possible.
 REFERENCES/SOURCES:

Kotlar, B., Gerson, E., Petrillo, S., Langer, A., & Tiemeier, H. (2021). The impact of the COVID-
19 pandemic on maternal and perinatal health: a scoping review. Reproductive Health,
18(1), 10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-021-01070-6

Significant rise in maternal deaths and unintended pregnancies feared because of COVID-19,
UNFPA and UPPI study shows. (2020, August 15). UNFPA Philippines.
https://philippines.unfpa.org/en/news/significant-rise-maternal-deaths-and-unintended-
pregnancies-feared-because-covid-19-unfpa-and

World Health Organization: WHO. (2020, August 5). Breastfeeding must continue amidst COVID-
19. Who.int; World Health Organization: WHO.
https://www.who.int/philippines/news/detail/05-08-2020-breastfeeding-must-continue-
amidst-covid-19

Johnson, H. (2020, December 23). Covid-19: The Philippines and its lockdown baby boom. BBC
News; BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-55299912

Pierson, D., & Aie Balagtas See. (2021, January 6). The pandemic is fueling a baby boom in the
Philippines. For some, that’s bad news. Los Angeles Times; Los Angeles Times.
https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2021-01-06/the-philippines-girds-for-a-baby-
boom-after-years-of-declining-birth-rates