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This report offers recommendations for the care of pregnant women and children following the COVID-19 pandemic. It analyzes health impacts on pregnant women and young children, including those related to health care and childcare, using a socioecological approach. Recommendations include expanding reimbursement and telemedicine access, making childcare accessible and affordable, and integrating equity considerations into data collection and research.

This article presents a systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to estimate the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the prevalence of postpartum depression and to summarize risk factors for postpartum depression during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of eight studies during the COVID-19 pandemic were included, and most studies were conducted in developed countries. The research findings indicated that the COVID-19 pandemic could detrimentally impact maternal mental well-being among women after childbirth. Investigating the prevalence and risk factors of postpartum depression among women could shed some light on their mental and emotional states; so that support measures and tailored interventions from health professionals and policymakers could be offered to improve maternal and infant outcomes, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This article summarizes the findings from a systematic review of the safety, immunogenicity, and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines in pregnancy and lactation. In total, 23 studies were identified. The systematic review found that COVID-19 vaccines are safe, immunogenic, and effective during pregnancy and lactation.

This article discusses the findings from a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies on pregnant women with confirmed COVID-19 infections. More than 31,000 pregnant women from 62 studies were included.

This study assessed the anxiety level during the COVID-19 pandemic among pregnant women and compared it between COVID-infected and non-infected groups. The authors prospectively assessed the daily routine and anxiety level using a bespoke questionnaire and GAD-7 scale validated for pregnant women. With logistic regression, they established possible risk factors of generalized anxiety disorder spectrum and main causes of concern.

This study aimed to investigate whether COVID-19 is associated with adverse perinatal outcomes in a large national dataset and to examine the rates of adverse outcomes during the pandemic compared with the rates of adverse outcomes during the prepandemic period. This observational cohort study included 683,905 patients, between the ages of 12 and 50, hospitalized for childbirth and abortion between January 1, 2019, and May 31, 2021.

The authors sought to evaluate compliance with state-mandated third-trimester syphilis testing at a single tertiary hospital in Illinois and to identify disparities in testing. This is a retrospective cohort study of all pregnant individuals who delivered between January 1, 2015, and February 28, 2018, at a large-volume academic center. The study found that despite a decades-old state mandate for third-trimester syphilis screening in this high-prevalence region, third-trimester screening performance was suboptimal. Several demographic characteristics were associated with adherence to screening, suggesting inequity and bias exist in testing practices. It is important to acknowledge that legal statutes do not fully eliminate bias and health disparities.

This articles discusses the need for policy that promotes equitable access to holistic support in pregnancy care to address racial disparities in maternal care. The authors outline recommendations to increase access to medical care and social support for pregnant patients, particularly for the most vulnerable.

This review summarized existing data on racial disparities in maternal immunization for influenza in the U.S. and reviewed the literature on interventions to improve the uptake of the influenza vaccine among Black pregnant women. U.S. survey data on maternal influenza immunization by racial and ethnic group were summarized in narrative form. The study found that a decade of survey data show that Black women in the U.S. consistently have the lowest rate of influenza immunization in pregnancy. Black women report a lower rate of being recommended or offered the vaccine, and provider recommendation is associated with greater vaccine uptake. Intervention studies to increase influenza immunization among Black pregnant women have reported mixed results. Successful interventions include multicomponent practice-based interventions, group prenatal care, and culturally competent patient educational messages.

This paper analyzes the policy components that contribute to the programmatic success of flu and Tdap pregnancy vaccine programs in three high-income countries, including the United States. Key pillars to increased vaccination coverage include Health Authority accountability, facilitated patient access to vaccination, healthcare professional accountability and engagement, awareness of the burden and severity of diseases, and finally, belief in the benefits of pregnancy vaccination. In the US, given the higher diversity of stakeholders, a multi-stakeholder approach with calls to action from the CDC and endorsement from other scientific societies were key to uptake of vaccinations in pregnancy. It is recommended that maternal task forces reinforce these messages, disseminate toolkits, and that partners address barriers that stand in the way of vaccination, including ensuring that vaccination clinics are convenient for pregnant woman. Successful programs do not require implementation of all components; instead, public health experts should use these as components as guiding tools that can be refined depending on the specificities of the healthcare system in place.