Percepción y actitud de gestantes respecto a la atención prenatal durante la pandemia de COVID-19, Chiclayo, Perú

Prenatal check-ups are regular medical visits made by pregnant women to monitor their health and that of the fetus. Objective: To determine the perception and attitude of pregnant women about prenatal care during the COVID-19 pandemic in Chiclayo, Peru, from 2021 to 2022. Methods: An observational, cross-sectional-analytical and prospective temporal study was conducted with 400 pregnant women from seven health care institutions. Perception and attitude data were collected using a structured and validated questionnaire consisting of thirteen questions. Additionally, ad hoc forms were used to collect sociodemographic and health management data. Results: The study included 400 pregnant women between 18 and 45 years old. The population was mainly characterized by cohabiting marital status (66.3%), housewife occupation (61.8%), secondary education level (61.0%), and family income between 700 and 1500 soles (53.5%). A total of 39.0% and 36.2% of participants expressed a negative attitude and perception towards prenatal care, respectively. A higher probability of negative attitude was associated with the health institution, higher family income, and non-compliance with prenatal check-ups (p<0.050). Similarly, poor perception was associated with the health institution, single marital status, non-compliance with prenatal visits, and lack of health procedures (p<0.050). Conclusions: More than three out of ten pregnant women reported a negative attitude and poor perception of prenatal care, which were related to sociodemographic and healthcare-related characteristics.