Assessment of face mask use in peripartum women during the COVID-19 pandemic: an observational study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic resulted in significant mortality, particularly in vulnerable groups, including pregnant women. Unavailability of a vaccine in South Africa until February 2021 and slow rollout made it important for the prevention of transmission to rely on non-pharmaceutical interventions such as face mask use. We aimed to assess the rate of face mask use in peripartum women in a secondary hospital in South Africa and to determine knowledge of and reasons for use and non-use of face masks.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional quantitative study using opportunistic sampling of women in the first and second stages of labour and the first six hours postpartum to assess the proportion of women who used face masks effectively between

SUBMITTER: Adusei S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12317551 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature