What to expect when expecting? Experiences of pregnant women in Serbia during the COVID-19 pandemic and state of emergency

• Authors: Ana Bilinović Rajačić , Jovana Čikić
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

The aim of this paper is to shed light on the experiences of non-infected pregnant women in Serbia during the COVID-19 pandemic and the state of emergency by applying a qualitative research method. The present analysis examines four aspects of being pregnant during the COVID-19 pandemic and the state of emergency: (a) pregnant women’s health and health care; (b) preparation for childbirth and the arrival of a new family member; (c) working while pregnant during the pandemic; and (d) the family atmosphere and family practices. The results show that the coronavirus pandemic affected pregnant women both psychologically and socially. The following conditions had a negative impact on pregnant women: (a) worrying about both their own health and the health of their baby; (b) a significant reduction in the level and quality of health-care support; (c) a decrease in ‘external’ parental support as a result of the need to socially isolate; (d) difficulties in managing their professional and family obligations; (e) missing their regular pre-pandemic activities; and (f) a decrease in total family income as a result of changes to employment conditions during the pandemic. Respondents who experienced pregnancy positively had high levels of marital adjustment and a stable family income and enjoyed spending more time with their husband and children during the pandemic.

Keywords

EN

COVID-19 pandemic; state of emergency; pregnancy

Discipline

• SOCIOLOGY: SOCIOLOGY

• Publisher: Institute of Sociology, Czech Academy of Sciences
• Journal: Gender a výzkum / Gender and Research
• Year: 2023
• Volume: 24
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 88-113
• Document type: ARTICLE

Contributors

author

Ana Bilinović Rajačić

• Gender a výzkum / Gender and Research Sociologický ústav AV ČR, v.v.i. / Institute of Sociology CAS, Jilská 1, 110 00 Praha 1, Czech Republic

author

Jovana Čikić

• Gender a výzkum / Gender and Research Sociologický ústav AV ČR, v.v.i. / Institute of Sociology CAS, Jilská 1, 110 00 Praha 1, Czech Republic