Table 3.
Identified proposed management strategies
| Themes | Codes | Proposed management strategies (examples; full list as supplementary material) |
|---|---|---|
| Risks of misjudgments related to systematic uncertainty in policy decision-making and guideline development | Risks related to the appropriate design of individual hospital preparedness plans | Determining preemptive, transparent, and ethically sound preparedness, distribution and triage plans |
| Risk related to lack of answers on normative questions | Loosening any necessary restrictions on individual rights as soon as the epidemic is over | |
| Issues of harm affecting pregnant women | Issues of increased harm (mortality, morbidity) caused by insufficient access to health services in epidemics | Avoiding 'first come, first serve'procedures and distributing services randomly among equally prioritized groups |
| Risks of increased harm (mortality, morbidity) caused by inadequate provision of health services in epidemics | Facilitating the use and distribution of unlicensed antivirals for patients affected by resistant strains | |
| Risk of harming infected mothers through stigmatization and criminalization | If mother-to-child transmission is identified: considering the possibility that some pregnancies are not intended | |
| General risks of harm caused by pregnancy in epidemics | Recognizing special risks for pregnant women in the epidemic and prioritizing resources accordingly | |
| Risks of harming women of reproductive age | Increased risk of infection for women of reproductive age | Accepting donations to assisted reproductive technologies only from seronegative individuals |
| Issues of harming the child | Close collaboration between obstetrics and neonatology to optimize both maternal and neonatal outcomes | |
| Issues of harming healthcare professionals | Providing vaccines to healthcare workers | |
| Issues regarding pregnant women's autonomous decisions being compromised | Risks of medical factors compromising autonomy | Seeking and respecting advance directives that state preferences about end-of-life care and the fetal outcome |
| Issues of direct interference by others | Liberalizing abortion laws and regarding some infections as sufficient grounds for termination of pregnancy | |
| Issues of indirect interference | Communicating the papal stance that the protective value of contraceptives can legitimize their use | |
| Risks that inadequate counselling about reproductive choices and maternal care precludes informed autonomous decision-making | Providing pregnant women with counseling and easy-to-understand information on vaccines and treatment options | |
| Risks related to the effectiveness | Promoting faithfulness and partner reduction |