Abstract

This study aimed to determine the impact of COVID-19 on antenatal care services at
Kampala International University Hospital from 2019 to 2020.This was a retrospective
study. We reviewed the records of mothers who attended the antenatal care clinic at
Kampala International University Teaching Hospital during the months of March, April and
May of 2019 and 2020.We also had Medical staff directly provide prenatal care at the clinic
during prenatal check-ups. A questionnaire to report on challenges. The obtained data were
analyzed using SPSS software version 22. A total of data from 2,379 customers was
analyzed. Antenatal care participation decreased by 7.1% in 2020.Services significantly
affected were fetal heart monitoring and intermittent malaria prophylaxis. The proportion
of mothers over 22 weeks who did not perform fetal heart monitoring was higher in 2020
(2.0% vs.0.0%, p<0.001). The proportion of mothers over 16 weeks who did not receive IPT
treatment was also higher in the 2020 period (28.7% vs 14.2%, p<0.001).The challenges
reported by all healthcare workers, and thus referred to as the main challenges during
COVID 2020, were lack of transportation, overwork and exhaustion, and fear of infection
COVID-19. Participation in antenatal care decreased during COVID-19 in 2020. The services
most affected were auscultation and intermittent malaria prophylaxis. The main challenges
are lack of transportation, overwork and exhaustion, as well as fear of contracting Covid-
19. Preparations for epidemics and natural disasters must be done so that when epidemics
occur, they will be affected as in this case