HSE to allow pregnant women's partners attend fetal anomaly scan 

Linda Kelly from Glanmire, and her daughter Amy-Kate who were present when a petition signed by 52,250 people was delivered to Cork University Maternity Hospital, calling for partners to be allowed to attend all scans appointments, all stages of labour and postnatal visits. Picture: Denis Minihane.

The HSE is set to allow partners to attend a pregnant woman's anomaly scan, which usually takes place around the 20-week mark. 

The move comes after last week's high-profile campaign to review Covid-19 restrictions in the country's maternity services.

Campaigners say the restrictions led to many women labouring alone, attending scans alone, being told they were miscarrying alone and being unable to see their partners after the birth.

Cork University Maternity Hospital has also announced that from Monday onwards, it will permit partners to attend the anatomy scan, which occurs from 21-23 weeks.  

"It's a national directive, and what it shows is that they are listening to the experiences that people had with the health service, and that they are willing to take action on it," says Linda Kelly from Cork, who is part of the campaign to review maternity restrictions. 

She says those in the campaign are heartened by this small step forward. "I had a message from a college friend who is pregnant with her first baby. 

She said she was delighted her partner could attend this scan and it took so much stress and fear away.

"Now that the HSE have conceded that an essential support person is no longer going to be prohibited from a very important scan, it can only be a matter of time before they open up other parts of the pregnancy journey to that same essential support person."

Restrictions under review

In a statement, the HSE said the clinical directors of all 19 maternity units have been keeping the need for restrictions under review at all times, and working to balance health protection with compassion for people’s needs and preferences.

"Keeping the impact of the change under review, the HSE is now re-classifying partners as an ‘essential companion’ of a pregnant woman for the fetal anomaly or anatomy scan, commencing from this week. 

"This is due to the ongoing low Covid-19 infection rate in our maternity services, and thankfully, that there have been no maternal deaths due to Covid-19. The fetal anomaly/anatomy scan is offered by some hospitals to women who are between 20-22 weeks of pregnancy."

The HSE said similar arrangements to those now being recommended have been in place at a number of hospitals on an ad hoc basis. 

"This re-classification is to ensure a consistent service is provided to expectant mothers and their partners across our maternity units."

The HSE added that if a case of Covid-19 is linked to a maternity unit, the HSE’s Public Health teams will undertake a public health risk assessment. 

"Recommended measures may include additional restrictions being re-implemented. Responses and recommendations for each maternity unit may differ, depending on the facilities and circumstances.

"We appreciate the patience shown by families as we work through these difficult months, providing high-quality maternity and infant care and keeping our patients and services safe from Covid-19."