Challenges for pregnant women seeking institutional care during the COVID-19 lockdown in India: A content analysis of online news reports

India's nationwide lockdown to curtail the transmission of Covid-19 has given rise to concerns over the health system's response to maternal and child health (MCH) services. This paper aims to understand the challenges faced by pregnant women seeking institutional care during the lockdown. We conducted a qualitative content analysis of 54 online news reports, published in English and Hindi, between 25 March 2020 and 31 May 2020. They covered cases across 17 states in India and 16 maternal deaths. Three broad thematic categories of challenges for pregnant women emerged from the analysis: 1) physical access to health facilities, 2) admission to health facilities, and 3) lack of respectful maternity care during the lockdown. In conclusion, strengthening health systems and incorporating MCH into the Covid-19 response is imperative. Failure to provide quality MCH services during the lockdown has implications for the continuum of women's care, maternal mortality, and human rights.