New Covid rules mean return of lone birth anguish

THOUSANDS of pregnant women face giving birth alone thanks to renewed Covid restrictions in hospitals.

One in five women have been told that if they catch Covid, they will have to endure labour without their partners, according to a new survey of 7,000 women who have used maternity services in the past two months.

This contradicts NHS guidance, which states: ‘Birth partners can stay for the duration… and continue to offer support during labour.’

The research, seen exclusively by The Mail on Sunday, also revealed that a quarter of partners were not able to visit the ward after birth, despite testing negative for Covid. And more than a third of partners were banned from pre-birth scans and appointments.

One mother said her husband was asked to leave immediately after birth, while another couple said they had shut themselves inside for a month to avoid catching Covid – after being told that if either one caught the virus, the woman would undergo labour alone.

‘Restrictions in antenatal care have been the biggest stress of my pregnancy,’ said one woman, due in February. ‘I may have to go through labour in hospital without my loved one. But if I gave birth in the pub or supermarket, I could invite who I liked.’

The Mail on Sunday was among the first to call for an end to the birth rules adopted by NHS trusts in spring 2020. That September, we launched a campaign to end the practice, which led to many women discovering devastating news, such as a miscarriage, alone.

In April 2021, NHS England issued updated guidance for trusts, following pressure from campaigners, to stop lone births amid falling Covid cases.

The following month, The MoS revealed that all NHS hospitals had adopted the policy, but last month we warned that restrictions had returned, amid rising Omicron cases. The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust in Essex has now ruled all women must attend antenatal appointments alone.

Joeli Brearly, of charity Pregnant Then Screwed, which conducted the research, said: ‘These rules are not only unnecessary but are contributing to mental health problems in expectant mothers. Stress during pregnancy can cause problems for a baby. The current set-up is failing everyone.’

Dr Jo Mountfield, vice-president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: ‘We urge trusts to use innovative approaches to ensure partners can be included at all stages of the maternity journey.

‘We would also support rapid testing of birth partners so they can spend more time on wards.’