Maternity care* in Sweden.

Background
Due to changes in Swedish maternity care during the COVID-19 pandemic, partners were often excluded from antenatal and postnatal care.
Aim
To explore partners’ experiences of pregnancy, labour, and postnatal care in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.
Methods
A descriptive qualitative interview study with 15 partners of women who gave birth from March 2020 to March 2022. Data was collected from April to November 2022, and analysed using inductive thematic analysis.
Findings
Two themes and six subthemes were identified. The first theme, Feelings of loss and exclusion, emphasises the expectation and desire to share the journey of becoming a parent together with the pregnant partner. When excluded from maternity care, a feeling of missing out was described which could create a sense of distance from the unborn child. The second theme, Dealing with powerlessness, relates to the fear of infection and not being able to participate during the birth, and life being adapted to restrictions. Mixed feelings regarding the restrictions were described since the reasons behind were not always perceived as clear and logical.
Discussion
Sweden prides itself on gender equality, where partners normally are a natural part of maternity care. This likely contributed to strong feelings of exclusion when partners were prevented from participating in maternity care during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Conclusion
Partners of women giving birth during the COVID-19 pandemic were substantially affected by the restrictions within maternity care. Partners wish to be involved in pregnancy and birth and want to receive clear information as part of their preparation for parenthood. Society–including maternity care–must decide how to address these needs.

研究背景：受2019冠状病毒病（COVID-19）大流行期间瑞典产科护理模式变革影响，配偶常被排除在产前与产后护理环节之外。
研究目的：探究在COVID-19大流行防控限制背景下，产妇配偶对妊娠、分娩及产后护理的体验。
研究方法：本研究为描述性质性访谈研究，研究对象为2020年3月至2022年3月期间分娩的产妇的15名配偶。研究数据于2022年4月至11月间收集，并采用归纳式主题分析法进行数据分析。
研究结果：本研究共识别出2个主主题与6个子主题。第一个主主题为「丧失与被排斥感」，聚焦于配偶期望与妊娠伴侣共同携手开启为人父母的旅程。当被排除在产科护理之外时，参与者会产生错失感，进而与未出生的孩子产生情感隔阂。第二个主主题为「无力感应对」，涉及对感染的恐惧、无法参与分娩过程，以及生活因防控限制被迫调整的处境。参与者对防控限制抱有复杂情绪，因限制背后的缘由并非总能被清晰且合理地感知。
讨论：瑞典向来以性别平等为荣，通常情况下配偶会自然融入产科护理流程。因此在COVID-19大流行期间，当配偶被禁止参与产科护理时，极易产生强烈的被排斥感。
结论：在COVID-19大流行期间分娩的产妇配偶，其生活深受产科护理防控限制的显著影响。配偶们希望能够参与妊娠与分娩过程，并希望获取清晰的信息以做好为人父母的准备。包括产科护理体系在内的社会各界，必须思考如何满足这些需求。