Abstract

Aim

To evaluate the beliefs held by the public regarding sexual health, pregnancy, and breastfeeding during COVID-19 era.

Methods

It was an online cross-sectional survey conducted through the Survey Monkey® platform and after proper ethical approval a self-designed questionnaire was circulated by the snowballing sampling technique through the Whatsapp platform.

Results

1636 people respondent to the survey questionnaire. 63% of the participants mentioned that kissing could spread nCoV-SARS. Unprotected sexual intercourse with the spouse can cause infection spread, was reported by about one-third (35.9%). Nearly one-fifth (22%) thought that unprotected sexual intercourse with unknown partners/persons could not spread the infection. About half (49.7%) of the participants reported COVID-19 infection can be transmitted from mother to the child/fetus during the process of birth or during pregnancy and one-fifth (21.3%) of the participants reported going ahead with the Cesarean section if the mother is suspected of having or is confirmed to have COVID-19 infection. About one-fifth feared for risk of birth defects and abortion in case the mother is infected with COVID-19. 28% of the participants reported COVID-19 infection can be transmitted to newborn by breastfeeding.

Conclusions

The present study suggests that a significant proportion of people have misinformation about sexual intimacy, pregnancy, and breastfeeding in the ongoing pandemic which needs to be addressed.

中文翻译：

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与COVID-19时代公众中的性亲密，怀孕和母乳喂养有关的信念：来自印度的基于网络的调查

摘要

目标

评估公众对COVID-19时代性健康，怀孕和母乳喂养的信念。

方法

这是一项通过SurveyMonkey®平台进行的在线横断面调查，经过适当的伦理批准后，滚雪球采样技术通过Whatsapp平台分发了一份自行设计的问卷。

结果

有1636人回答了调查问卷。63％的参与者提到亲吻可以传播nCoV-SARS。据报道，与配偶无保护的性交可导致感染传播，约三分之一（35.9％）。近五分之一（22％）的人认为与未知伴侣/人的无保护性交无法传播感染。约有一半（49.7％）的参与者报告说，COVID-19感染可在分娩过程中或怀孕期间从母亲传播给孩子，而五分之一（21.3％）的参与者报告说，继续剖腹产如果母亲被怀疑患有或被确认患有COVID-19感染。如果母亲感染了COVID-19，大约五分之一的人担心有先天缺陷和流产的风险。

结论

本研究表明，在正在进行的大流行中，很大一部分人对性亲密，怀孕和母乳喂养有误解，这需要解决。