Fears, Reassurance, and Milestones: A Twitter Analysis around World Prematurity Day during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
3. Results
- COVID-19 was not the only trauma;
- Raising awareness, especially World Prematurity Day;
- Baby milestones.
Theme | Exemplar Quotes | |
---|---|---|
Parent | Healthcare Professional | |
COVID-19 was not the only trauma | Women, children and their families are being let down time and time again in this pan-demic. This will affect us all for years to come. It needs to stop happening. #maternalhealth #childrenshealth #familyhealth #motherhood #supportfamilies (29 October 2020) Waiting for my son to get a #COVID test and waiting for the results is a hell I wouldn’t wish on anyone. I haven’t been in this bad of a place mentally since he was in the #NICU (28 November 2020) | Did you know? More than 15 million babies around the world are born prematurely every year, and prematurity is the leading cause of death in children under five years of age. #nicu #nicubaby #preemie #weeker #niculife #nicumom #preemiestrong #preemiebaby #baby (3 November 2020) Keep being told about newborns coughing/sneezing once or twice in #NICU on report these days. Me thinks that it always was this way but #COVID19 has us all a little hypervigilant! To swab or not to swab. That is the question! (22 November 2020) |
Raising awareness, especially World Prematurity Day | 7 years ago I was counting down 6 weeks to my Xmas due date. Little did I know that in less than 10 days we’d be in the #NICU—this amazing little guy is incredible… but still prefers to sleep in the middle of people noise tho WorldPrematurityDay2020 (17 November 2020) | Did lockdowns lower premature births? Dutch researchers say the “impact was real,” adding to hopes that doctors will learn more about factors contributing to preterm birth. #prematurebabies #preterm #birth #lockdown (26 November 2020) |
Baby milestones | The last 11 days have been an emotional rollercoaster. I’ve came out of the hospital this evening after seeing [baby] and I see this beautiful double rainbow. It reminded me of the quote that after a storm comes a rainbow. My rainbow is coming. | Today I helped a very anxious mummy hand express for the first time, she didn’t think she’d be able to do it but she did and managed to express 0.3 mL and it was brilliant to be a part of! HandExpressingMilk # BreastFeeding (4 November 2020) |
3.1. COVID-19 Was Not the Only Trauma
#Maternal care hard hit by #Covid-19 pandemic in #Bangladesh #COVID-19 #maternalhealth #maternalmortality #COVID19 #coronaravirus (13 November 2020).
#COVID19 wont stop our global #NICU ASP study in S Africa! toolkits arrived in Joburg!! We willmortality together @inspired2leadQH @PedsPharmD @dinimawela @NSchellack @AngPharmID @OSUGlobal @osu_pharmacy (30 October 2020).
Despite the challenges presented by #COVID-19, CMMB is continuing its work to support mothers and newborns in #Haiti through antenatal care, skilled deliveries, and other services.Learn about our maternal health projects:#WomensHealth #MaternalHealth (6 November 2020)We have also relayed vital updates to 800,000 frontline health workers across India in collaboration with The Ministry of Health Family Welfare (@MoHFW_INDIA)#COVID #COVID19 #Corona #healthcare #health #Virtualclinic #pandemic #maternalhealth #childhealth #mHealth #HealthTech (23 November 2020).
“Although the absolute risks for severe COVID-19–associated outcomes among women were low, pregnant women were at significantly higher risk for severe outcomes compared with nonpregnant women” from @CDCgov #COVID19 #HealthEquity #MaternalHealth (3 November 2020)Pregnant individuals have a higher risk of severe illness from #COVID19 than non-pregnant individuals. CDCgov lays out the steps of how to keep yourself and your newborn safe from contracting COVID-19: #MaternalHealth #InfantHealth (5 November 2020)
‘I can’t fail Mary’: the bereaved man fighting for pregnant women threatened by Covid #schools #CloseTheSchools #edutwitter #masksforschools #maternalhealth #PutSchoolsInLockdown #teachers #Friday13th (13 November 2020)B.C. woman on life support after catching COVID-19 while pregnant via @CBCTheNational#COVID19 #COVID__19 #Covid #pandemic #epidemiology #pregnancy #healthcare #Health #maternalhealth #publicmedia #ViewFromCanada (17 November 2020)
Although hospital staff always follow very strict cleaning precautions in the #NICU, understanding safety measures you can take might help ease your mind. Here are some #tips for keeping yourself and your #NICU baby safe from #respiratory viruses. [link] (28 October 2020)
ADORABLE: With extra safety measures put in place due to the coronavirus, the #NICU team in #Detroit did not disappoint with the most adorable pumpkin costumes [link] for their tiny babies. [link to photo] (29 October 2020)
“And then, the coronavirus hit.”…. Suffering from postpartum and perinatal anxiety and depression was hard enough pre-COVID-19. The pandemic brings along with it many questions that are new territory. [link] #maternalhealth [name] [link] (28 October 2020)Dr. Deena Hinshaw admits the restrictions will be very difficult “but these temporary measures are being implemented to help reduce exposure and spread of the virus in AHS facilities.” #COVID19AB #Hinshaw #Visitation #Hospitals #NICU (26 November 2020)
So proud of @TrudiSene1 highlighting the stark truths of how the lockdown has and will continue to affect women in the perinatal period @BBCNews #PMH #maternalhealth (31 October 2020)More data that #COVID is having a disproportionate impact on #women. Increased levels of #HTN due to #lockdowns increasing risk for poor #maternalhealth outcomes. (3 November 2020)
Keep being told about newborns coughing/sneezing once or twice in #NICU on report these days.Me thinks that it always was this way but #COVID19 has us all a little hypervigilant!To swab or not to swab. That is the question! (22 November 2020)
Did you know?More than 15 million babies around the world are born prematurely every year, and prematurity is the leading cause of death in children under five years of age.#nicu #nicubaby #preemie #weeker #niculife #nicumom #preemiestrong #preemiebaby #baby (3 November 2020)
Although it’s frustrating that #masks keep fogging up my equipment, it is nice delivering babies without the fear of getting amniotic fluid in my mouth #obgyn #ob #maternalhealth #PPE [link] (23 October 2020)
Parents of sick and small newborns must not be treated as visitors, they are #caregivers and must have unrestricted access to #NICU (14 November 2020)
Women, children and their families are being let down time and time again in this pandemic.This will affect us all for years to come.It needs to stop happening.#maternalhealth #childrenshealth #familyhealth #motherhood #supportfamilies (29 October 2020)
Lockdown 1 Vs. Lockdown 2[name] a few days old in NICU wondering if he’d be ok and if we’d get him home Vs. now, loving life in a swing without a care in the world#prematurityawarenessmonth #preemie #NICU #lockdown2uk #UKlockdown (13 November 2020)
I am dreading a #SecondLockdown and I’m not the only one. New mums are already quite isolated due to the pandemic and baby classes are a Covid-safe lifeline. If they don’t run then we don’t see anyone. This is huge. @MMHAlliance #maternalhealth #UKlockdown (31 October 2020)
Waiting for my son to get a #COVID test and waiting for the results is a hell I wouldn’t wish on anyone. I haven’t been in this bad of a place mentally since he was in the #NICU (28 November 2020)
3.2. Raising Awareness, Especially World Prematurity Day
More evidence linking #COVID19 mitigation measures with reduction in #preterm births from the Netherlands @TheLancetPH @EBNEO (27 October 2020)Did lockdowns lower premature births? Dutch researchers say the “impact was real,” adding to hopes that doctors will learn more about factors contributing to preterm birth.#prematurebabies #preterm #birth #lockdown (26 November 2020)
Parents are increasingly regarded to be team members, not only in the team providing care for their infant(s) but also as team members of the broader team such as an entire NICU. #nicu #neonatal #parentengagement #preterm #prematurity [link] (30 October 2020)Both my babies had to spend time in the NICU when they were born. It was heartbreaking, exhausting, demanding—and I was in no physical state to manage it alone, as I was really quite ill myself both times. Dads have to be included not excluded #nicu (12 November 2020)
The Complex Emotions of Losing a Twin in the NICU #pegnancyandinfantlossawarenessmonth #infantloss #NICU (26 October 2020)
Particularly in times of #COVID19 we need to remember: parents and babies belong together #ZeroSeparation #WorldPrematurityDay2020. Join #WPD20Chat on 16 Nov 9AM EST/2PM GMT and contribute to the discussion and to raising awarness on #preterm birth @CochraneNeonate (15 November 2020)
Today is #WorldPrematurityDay and a chance to reflect on my preterm birth journey which has shaped and strengthened our family. Great work being done by @WIRFWA#worldprematurityday #worldpremday #pretermbirth #preterm #thewholeninemonths #WIRF #WIRFWA (17 November 2020)7 years ago I was counting down 6 weeks to my Xmas due date. Little did I know that in less than 10 days we’d be in the #NICU—this amazing little guy is incredible… but still prefers to sleep in the middle of people noise tho![]()
#WorldPrematurityDay2020 (17 November 2020).
Having born premature and having my life being saved by a neonatal intensive care unit I really value their use. @UNICEFEthiopia works with @FMoHealth to combat neonatal deaths with all measures. #WorldPrematurityDay #HealthForAll #maternalhealth #NeonatalHealth (17 November 2020)When Shannon Sullivan learned she had spent the first 3 months of her life in Cedars-Sinai’s #NICU, she decided to dedicate her career to helping infants. “#Neonatology saved my life, and I need to pay it forward,” she says. #WorldPrematurityDay(17 November 2020)
3.3. Baby Milestones
The last 11 days have been an emotional rollercoaster. I’ve came out of the hospital this evening after seeing [baby] and I see this beautiful double rainbow. It reminded me of the quote that after a storm comes a rainbow. My rainbow is coming.#nicubaby #NICU #preemiestrong (27 October 2020)
NICU Milestones: The First Diaper Change was the Hug I’d Been Waiting For #NICU (30 October 2020)No more respiratory support! #nicubaby #nicu #babyboy (3 November 2020)We are officially double birth weight! #nicu #nicubaby #babyboy (7 November 2020).
Today I helped a very anxious mummy hand express for the first time, she didn’t think she’d be able to do it but she did and managed to express 0.3 mL and it was brilliant to be a part of!#NICU #HandExpressingMilk #BreastFeeding (4 November 2020)
I love when one of my #preemie #patients does so well at their check up that doctors use the terms #biggirl #heavy and #smart #childlife #infantmassage #support #coping #NICU #premature #allcaughtup (9 November 2020)
4. Discussion
Strengths and Limitations
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Share and Cite
McKay, K.; O’Nions, E.; Wayland, S.; Ferguson, D.; Kennedy, E. Fears, Reassurance, and Milestones: A Twitter Analysis around World Prematurity Day during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 10807. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182010807
McKay K, O’Nions E, Wayland S, Ferguson D, Kennedy E. Fears, Reassurance, and Milestones: A Twitter Analysis around World Prematurity Day during the COVID-19 Pandemic. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18(20):10807. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182010807
Chicago/Turabian StyleMcKay, Kathy, Elizabeth O’Nions, Sarah Wayland, David Ferguson, and Eilis Kennedy. 2021. "Fears, Reassurance, and Milestones: A Twitter Analysis around World Prematurity Day during the COVID-19 Pandemic" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 20: 10807. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182010807