Covid-19: Protest at continued maternity restrictions 

Holly Cairns, Cork South West TD, centre, Siobhan O'Donohue, Director Uplif, left and Hazel Chu, Lord Mayor of Dublin pictured at an Uplift rally outside the Coombe Women's Hospital, Dublin yesterday evening, to protest at the maternity ban on partners. Picture: Colin Keegan/Collins Dublin

A protest was held outside the Coombe maternity hospital in Dublin yesterday evening, in protest against the continued restrictions in maternity services. 

The HSE's chief clinical officer and the minister for health have also not responded to a request for an urgent meeting in relation to these Covid restrictions, according to the campaigners.

Recently, the high-profile campaign led to the HSE conceding that partners should be allowed to attend a pregnant woman's anomaly scan, which occurs around the 20 week mark.

However, disparities remain, with some maternity hospitals and units allowing partners to visit the woman and child after birth, whereas others continue with a strict no-visitor post-birth policy and don't allow partners to attend other scans or appointments. 

Campaigners say this is leading to serious distress for women and their partners, many of whom had to give birth alone or go through the early stages of labour alone, back at the height of the pandemic in March and April.  

Campaign leader

Siobhan O'Donoghue from Uplift, who is leading the campaign, says the chief clinical officer of the HSE, Colm Henry, and Health Minister Stephen Donnelly have yet to reply to their letter, requesting an urgent meeting about the affect these restrictions are having. 

She attended the protest, as did political figures like Holly Cairns, Social Democrat TD from West Cork, and Hazel Chu, lord mayor of Dublin. Both have been outspoken about the issue. 

"We haven't had any response yet... it's hard to understand why they haven't picked it up and responded to it, given that there's such public pressure and urgency," says Ms O'Donoghue.

She says the campaign is really concerned about protecting public health, but thousands of people who are pregnant, have given birth or are planning a pregnancy are under stress and anxiety because of these restrictions.

Ms O'Donoghue adds that the differing restrictions, which are decided locally by each individual hospital or maternity unit, is another issue.

The state of play is symbolic of the general lack of order within maternity services in Ireland, there's a lack of consistency and standardisation of care.

National strategy needed

She says a national strategy is needed with regards to the restrictions. 

"Their argument that it is all dependent on the physical configuration of the building now doesn't really stand up, because of the directive last week which said partners should be allowed to attend the anomaly scan.

"These partners are living with the pregnant women and people, yet they are being excluded despite being from the same household."

She adds that WHO guidance stipulates that women should have a support person when using maternity services. 

Pandemic conditions challenging

In response, the HSE said: "Unfortunately visiting, including partner visits, at maternity hospitals have been significantly restricted since earlier this year due to Covid-19, for the protection of women and infants, and our staff.

"Re-introducing access to partners of pregnant women during the Covid-19 pandemic is challenging, and our priority must be the safety of women, their babies and maternity staff."

The HSE said they were "very mindful" of the distress some of the restrictions may have caused women and their partners.

They added that the Clinical Directors of all 19 maternity units have been keeping the need for restrictions under review at all times, and are working to balance health protection with compassion for people’s needs and preferences.

"We have had, in common with all other countries, Covid outbreaks in healthcare settings during the course of the pandemic. If a case of Covid-19 is identified which 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."