Couples still face uncertainty over access to maternity hospital for partners

Pregnant women are waiting to hear when they might get vaccinated. File photo: Pexels

The HSE has called on maternity hospitals to follow advice on easing visiting restrictions for partners, but rejected hopes of an enforceable national approach.

On Wednesday, it was reported that an announcement was imminent around restrictions in maternity hospitals with Taoiseach Michael Martin telling the Dáil he would speak to the HSE about it.

HSE chief clinical officer Dr Colm Henry said the serious threat from Covid-19 remains but some easing should be expected.

However, while he said the advice to maternity hospitals is that a partner could be present at the 20-week anomaly scan, during labour and a parent should be able to visit the neonatal intensive care unit, he conceded there is “local interpretation” and “ lack of consistency” based on outbreaks and individual hospital environments.

In Wexford, Caoimhe O’Reilly was devastated today to hear that. Now 37 weeks pregnant, she had been excited that a change was coming.

She said: “It’s worse to be told an announcement was going to be made, and then it is just lip-service and in reality nothing has changed.” 

Ms O’Reilly said her partner has already endured waiting for results of the 20-week scan and other appointments from the hospital carpark.

It is particularly upsetting, Ms O’ Reilly said, to see women in other hospitals having more freedoms.

What's your view on this issue?

You can tell us here

A spokeswoman for Wexford General Hospital said it cannot comment on individual cases but acknowledged "the distress that current restrictions have had on all new mothers and their partners". 

The hospital does now welcome partners for the 20-week scan. But she said due to building constraints "we are unable to facilitate birth partners in the antenatal and postnatal wards, without jeopardising the safety of all our mothers and their babies". 

Meanwhile, other pregnant women are waiting to hear when they might get vaccinated. This follows a recommendation by NIAC that women at 14–36 weeks gestation should be prioritised.

Dr Henry said today details will be announced early next week.

However, women have already been contacting maternity hospitals and GPs looking for information.

Dubliner Chrissy Hughes, who is 34 weeks pregnant, said: “It’s quite a tight timeframe for me. We’ve been thinking about the options, and for me the benefits outweigh the negatives. I had to go to the bank a few weeks ago, and then that branch ended up closing due to a Covid outbreak. I’d rather feel comfortable.” 

She hopes if more women are vaccinated, this will encourage hospitals to ease restrictions.