Maternal care utilization and provision during the COVID-19 pandemic: Voices from minoritized pregnant and postpartum women and maternal care providers in Deep South.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected maternal care services especially for minoritized individuals, creating challenges for both service users (i.e., African American and Hispanic pregnant/postpartum women) and maternal care providers (MCPs).

Is It Safe for Me to Get It? Factors Influencing COVID-19 Vaccination Decision-Making among Postpartum Women Who Are Black and Hispanic in Deep South.

Background: COVID-19 vaccination is vital for ending the pandemic, yet safety concerns persist among pregnant and postpartum women, especially those who are Black and Hispanic. This study aims to explore factors that influence postpartum women's vaccination decision-making during pregnancy and postpartum through women's lived experiences and maternal care providers' (MCPs) observations.

Methods: From January to August 2022, we conducted semi-structured interviews with postpartum women who are Black and Hispanic and with MCPs.

Factors influencing COVID-19 vaccination decision-making among African American and Hispanic pregnant and postpartum women in Deep South.

Background: COVID-19 vaccination is vital for ending the pandemic but concerns about its safety among pregnant and postpartum women, especially among African American (AA) and Hispanic women, persist. This study aims to explore factors that influence vaccination decision-making among AA and Hispanic pregnant and postpartum women through women's experiences and maternal care providers' (MCPs) observations.

Methods: From January and August 2022, we conducted semi-structured interviews with AA and Hispanic women and MCPs.

Examination of maternal near-miss experiences in the hospital setting among Black women in the United States.

Introduction: The high rate of maternal mortality among Black women in the United States continues to gain attention; yet research has not yet fully illuminated the precursors to these events, most impactful among them being "maternal near misses." A maternal near miss occurs when a woman nearly dies but survives a complication that occurred during pregnancy, childbirth, or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy. Researchers have focused on reviewing patient medical records after sentinel maternal events to help determine major contributors to them; however, qualitative studies with near-miss survivors, especially among Black women, may be a more useful approach.