The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal health due to delay in seeking health care: Experience from a tertiary center.

Objective To assess the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on obstetric care and outcomes. Methods A prospective observational single-center study was performed, including all antenatal and parturient women admitted from April to August 2020. Data were collected regarding number of admissions, deliveries, antenatal visits, reason for inaccessibility of health care, and complications during pregnancy, and compared with data from the pre-COVID period of October 2019 to February 2020. Results There was a reduction of 45.1% in institutional deliveries (P Conclusion Although COVID-19 disease does not directly affect pregnancy outcomes, it has indirect adverse effects on maternal and child health. Emergency obstetric and antenatal care are essential services to be continued with awareness of people while maintaining social distancing and personal hygiene.