TANAKA Makiko

We preliminarily surveyed the influence of COVID-19 on pregnancy, birth, and childcare. We used semi-structured interviews. We used text mining to analyze five participants who experienced pregnancy and childbirth before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study showed the following outcomes: (1) COVID-19 influenced familial support, social support, and birth. (2) Participants found it difficult to ask for support. (3) Participants needed social support for infection prevention at the preparation stage because they also cared for their children. (4) The birth affected the failure to share needs of the family and enhance the awareness of childbirth as a pregnant woman.

A multiple-choice questionnaire was administered to university students to investigate their positive changes during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The data revealed that more than three-fourths of the students felt positive changes in relationships and values. Additionally, approximately half of the students felt positive changes in customs and behavior, while 20%–30% felt positive physical and mental vitality changes. Our findings suggest that it may be necessary for university students to notice their positive changes as being essential for growth during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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