Accessing Maternity Services during the COVID 19 pandemic

HW St Helens wanted to ask mothers-to-be or new mums who had used maternity services within St Helens and Knowsley Trust –notably Whiston Hospital. The range of questions covered care at all stages of pregnancy, from antenatal, labour and delivery, and neonatal.

The questions targeted expected service delivery such as information provided, birth partner allowed to attend scans and the birth, and emotional support. There was a total of 6 responses to the survey –3 from the WA10 area of St Helens and 3 from the WA11 area. All respondents were at their antenatal stage at the time of this survey.

All respondents felt the pandemic affected their maternity experiences – both positive and negative.

• 4 felt they were fully informed at each stage but 2 did not. No reasons were given.
• Birthing partners were not allowed to attend appointments or scans except for one woman who transferred to Ormskirk at 27 weeks and she was the only respondent whose partner could attend 2 scans due to complications with the pregnancy.
• Not having a partner present at the scan was traumatic for one woman who was carrying twins and was alone when she was told her pregnancy was no longer viable.
• Two women were not given a choice about where and how they could birth their babies, due to medical reasons (not related to COVID-19).
• The emotional support was positive particularly for the women who had complications during their pregnancy, and especially if they had to be alone without a partner present.
• The midwife, consultant, community midwife and staff on FMAU staff were described as reassuring.
• One woman told HW St Helens she was offered mental health support throughout.
• One woman told HW St Helens she felt reassured throughout the pregnancy.