Perinatal women’s lived experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom: A scoping review

Purpose Perinatal women experienced the COVID-19 pandemic under unique circumstances. This scoping review examined the literature on the lived experiences impacting perinatal women’s mental health and emotional wellbeing in the United Kingdom during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods Following the PRISMA guidelines, a systematic search of APA PsycInfo, APA PsycArticles, CINAHL, Medline and SocINDEX was performed to identify qualitative studies between 2019 to 2022. Seven studies were identified which met the inclusion criteria and were included in the study. Results Thematic analysis resulted in five themes. The first theme depicted participants feeling ‘kept out of the picture’, the second theme described ‘unexpected changes to relationships’, the third theme outlined ‘the weight of responsibility’, the fourth theme portrayed ‘grieving a lost experience’ and the final theme illustrated 'alienation by healthcare’. Conclusion Professionals such as counsellors, family therapists and health visitors working with this group should aim to identify women who were perinatal during COVID-19 at the initial assessment phase and consider their unique needs whilst being mindful of their related adverse experiences.