The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all individuals irrespective of their ages, for instance, both mothers and newborns. The virus has proven to be deadly and, for this reason, it is the society's best interest to minimize the virus' transmission. Such an objective can be achieved by isolating the infected individuals and limiting their interactions with those free of the virus. However, skin-to-skin contact between mothers and newborns has been practiced for a long time, and the virus threatens the widely adopted practice. There is a gap in research regarding whether skin-to-skin contact should be disregarded through the separation of mothers and newborns in light of the new coronavirus. In this case, a research design for this research has been formulated.
Purpose of Study
The study’s purpose is to investigate whether newborns should be isolated from their mothers who are infected with COVID-19. Skin-to-skin contact can result in the spread of the virus between the mother and the baby, given that the viral particles spread easily through individual-to-individual contact (Ather et al., 2020). In this case, newborns can become infect and realize negative health outcomes. However, isolating the newborn from the mother does not lead to positive outcomes. Stuebe’s (2020) results showed that skin-to-skin contact disruption negatively impacts the physiology of the newborn. According to him, the separation of the newborn from the mothers leads to an increase in the former’s stress activity by 176%. In addition, isolation of the newborn from the mothers contributes to the latter's increase in stress. Early separation interrupts breastfeeding, and the lack of breastfeeding increases the newborn's risk of hospitalization by 3.6. Separation of the newborns from their mothers has both benefits and disadvantages. Given such a dilemma, it is important to investigate further whether the separation between newborns and mothers with COVID-19 should be carried out.
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Research Question
Healthcare practitioners are keen on separating newborns from their mothers with COVID-19 to prevent them from becoming infected and realizing negative health outcomes such as death. At the same time, they recognize that skin-to-skin contact has vital benefits for both the mother and newborn, and as a result, separating them will cause them to forego the benefits leading to negative health outcomes. In this respect, the research question is:
After birth, should newborns be separated and isolated from their mothers infected with COVID-19?
Research Design Selection
The qualitative research design will be used for this study. The design will be used since there is a need to gain insight regarding the separation of newborns from their mothers due to COVID-19. The SARS-CoV-2 is a new virus, and, in effect, there is limited information regarding its impact on mothers and their newborns. The qualitative research design will explore the issue of separation of newborns from their mothers in depth to reveal more about the new phenomenon. Developing a rich understanding of the separation of mothers and newborns due to COVID-19 will prove valuable in reaching a meaningful conclusion pertaining to the research question. The qualitative research design will reveal patterns regarding the new virus. It is also flexible, and, in this case, it is easy to adjust the research process based on what is learned through data collection.
Sample Size and Selection Process
The study will use the qualitative sampling technique to come up with an ideal sample. In this case, the first step involves identifying information-rich data sources. Such sources will be identified through purposive sampling. In this sampling type, the participants who best contribute to the study are chosen (Etikan & Bala, 2017) . As per the research question, the study revolves around newborns and mothers. In this respect, individuals who interact with both parties will provide the required information. For instance, pediatric physicians and nurses have first-hand experience dealing with mothers and handling newborns. In addition, such individuals are in the front line combating the virus by taking care of the mothers and newborns infected with the virus while minimizing transmission to those who do not have it. The key members of the American Academy of Pediatrics will also be chosen to engage in the research. The AAP is a leader in pediatric care, since it advocates for the well-being of newborns while providing guidance regarding how newborns should be treated (Wang & Bair, 2020) . The body has provided a series of recommendations regarding how mothers and newborns should be treated in the face of COVID-19. The sample comprising the main AAP members and healthcare practitioners will guarantee the collection of valuable data for the study. A small sample will be selected, given that the participants are insightful and can respond to the questions effectively.
Data Collection Methods
The main data collection technique to be used is in-depth interviews, specifically semi-structured interviews. The participants will be asked a series of open-ended questions based on the topic of separation of infants from their mothers will be asked. The semi-structured nature of the interviews will explore the issues regarding isolation and skin-to-skin contact in an in-depth manner, with the interviewees being given opportunities to discuss the issues in detail. Moreover, the researcher will have the opportunity to probe the participants to elaborate on complex issues regarding the mothers’ or infants’ physiology. The interviews will be relatively informal to ensure the participants feel that they are engaging in a discussion rather than a formal conversation. The interviews with the healthcare practitioners, including the pediatric physicians and nurses, will reveal their first-hand experiences regarding the effects of separating and not separating infants from their mothers during the pandemic. In this case, their responses will provide useful information regarding the pros and cons of separation between infants and their mothers. The AAP's key members will also provide useful information given that they carry out and publish research that guarantees the infants' and mothers' best possible health outcomes.
Protection of Human Participants
The research will observe ethical guidelines to protect the participants. Informed consent will be obtained from the healthcare practitioners and AAP members by providing them with adequate information regarding the study and give them the chance to decide whether or not to participate in the research. The data obtained from the healthcare practitioners and AAP members will be shared while preserving their anonymity. Debriefing sessions will also be allowed after the interviews to allow the participants to share their concerns. The IRB procedures and human rights of the participants will also be observed through the review of the research plan.
Conclusion and Summary
Overall, the qualitative study will yield useful evidence in an area that has not been explored thoroughly, given the pandemic's short-term nature. The research outcomes will provide the necessary guidance concerning the separation of newborns from their mothers. Semi-structured interviews will be used with healthcare practitioners and AAP members participating in the study. Informed consent, confidentiality procedures, IRB processes, and observation of human rights will ensure the participants are protected.
References
Ather, A., Patel, B., Ruparel, N. B., Diogenes, A., & Hargreaves, K. M. (2020). Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19): Implications for clinical dental care. Journal of Endodontics , 46 (5), 584-595. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joen.2020.03.008
Etikan, I., & Bala, K. (2017). Sampling and sampling methods. Biometrics & Biostatistics International Journal , 5 (6), 00149. https://doi.org/ 10.15406/bbij.2017.05.00149
Stuebe, A. (2020). Should infants be separated from mothers with COVID-19? First, do no harm. Breastfeeding Medicine , 15 (5), 351-352. https://doi.org/ 10.1089/bfm.2020.29153.ams
Wang, C. J., & Bair, H. (2020). Operational considerations on the American Academy of Pediatrics Guidance for K-12 School Reentry. JAMA Pediatrics . https://doi.org/ 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2020.3871
