We understand that this is a worrying time for everybody and we hear your concerns about how care will continue to be provided throughout your pregnancy, birth and subsequent care for you and your baby. There is no evidence that pregnant women are more likely to contract COVID-19 than anyone else, and there is no evidence to suggest that they would develop more serious complications than any other person.
You will continue to receive antenatal and postnatal appointments. Some of these consultations maybe completed virtually in order to promote social distancing. Your named community midwife will contact you regarding any changes.
It is important that you attend all of these appointments unless you are advised differently by us to ensure we can continue to monitor you and your baby’s health and wellbeing. You will be contacted directly by the midwife or by the hospital if your appointment is required to be rescheduled
If you are experiencing symptoms of Coronavirus but are otherwise well and in self isolation (a high temperature/ new continuous cough/ a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste) please contact the Maternity assessment unit via the hospital switchboard on 0151 708 9988, and choose option 2 to speak directly to a midwife who will be able to provide you with individualised advice which may include rescheduling your appointment to facilitate safety of mothers and babies. Maternity teams are used to helping women and families who contract viruses during pregnancy
We remain committed to supporting all birth options; including homebirth, Midwifery Led Unit and main Delivery Suite. If you already have a planned induction of labour or an elective Caesarean section this will go ahead as scheduled.
Call us immediately if you have abdominal pain, bleeding or your baby’s normal movement’s change or you have any other worries.
Our hospital is well prepared to look after you and your baby and our staff are following strict infection control measures in line with government guidance to make sure that you are protected. This includes wearing protective clothing including facemasks. Please do not let this worry you, it is to protect you and them.
If you have urgent concerns about your baby’s health it is very important that you call us straight away. We will be able to advise whether or not you need to come and see us. You should also continue to come in for your antenatal appointments and scans.
General advice
All our maternity staff are always here to help, and are available for advice and support whenever you need it. We will endeavour to provide you with the most up to date information relating to pregnancy and birth.
For further information please follow the link to the joint guidance from the Royal College of Midwives and the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Baby Lifeline have also produced three posters for advice and support during and after pregnancy. Click here for information on pregnancy, birth and after-birth support during Covid-19.
Advice for women attending scans
From Monday 14th September 2020, pregnant women are permitted to attend their 12 week scan (NT or dating scan) and 20 week (anomaly) scan with ONE other person.
Unfortunately, at the moment you are not allowed to bring your birth partner to growth scans inc those taking place in the FMU. Growth scans can happen anytime from 24 - 40 weeks and they may be done in imaging or FMU. These are normally routine and there is a huge number of them carried out each week, therefore it would impact on social distancing should we allow for partners to attend all of these appointments. However, please note this is being reviewed.
Please note that due to the current COVID-19 situation in Liverpool and the surrounding area, the Trust may be required to re-introduce restrictions at short notice.
For all other scan appointments and face to face consultations in early pregnancy clinic and the antenatal clinic, women are still expected to attend alone due to social distancing requirements.
Children are not permitted to accompany anyone to appointments.
Please follow the below information in advance of attending scan appointments.
- The individual accompanying a pregnant woman to a scan should ideally be their nominated birth partner but can be someone else if they are not available for the appointment however they should ideally come from the same household or bubble.
- The person accompanying a pregnant woman to a scan will be required to follow the same procedures as patients before entering the hospital. This will include your temperature being taken and a short number of symptom check questions being asked. If you have any symptoms or a high temperature you will not be allowed to enter the hospital and you will be advised to go home and self-isolate in line with national guidance.
- When entering the hospital you will both be required to wear a face covering. A face mask will be provided if you do not come with your own.
- Pregnant women are encouraged to have an alternative person ready to accompany them to their scan at short notice in case their preferred choice is unable to enter due to Covid-19 related symptoms.
- Liverpool Women’s will be maintaining a 2 metre social distancing rule until further notice. Please follow the signage and wayfinding and respect our social distancing measures when on the hospital site.
- We are still unable to give permission for any filming or recording of scans on smart phones or other devices. This decision follows the Society of Radiographers and British Medical Ultrasound Society Guidance.
For women who are unable to have a person accompany them to a scan, a photograph of the scan will continue to be provided free of charge until further notice.
In addition if you choose to find out the gender of your baby at your anomaly scan the sonographer will be able to write this down and keep it in an envelope so you can open it and share that special moment with your partner and/or friends and family.
All arrangements and any restrictions that have been put in place at Liverpool Women’s over recent months are there to help prevent the spread of infection and protect our patients, staff and visitors. These will continue to be reviewed and may change again at short notice if required.
Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.
Visiting access for support partners
Please select the 'visiting restrictions in place' tab from the menu above for full details on access for support partners.
Birth Registrations
The General Registry Office has issued an instruction across the country that all birth registrations should be deferred due to the pandemic. The birth registration team based at LWH has therefore been suspended until further notice. Women should therefore be directed to review the Liverpool City Council Website: www.liverpool.gov.uk for further instructions and updates on the current situation. Please avoid contacting our Registry office direct. Please note that the lack of a birth certificate will not prevent the baby being registered with a GP or for the parents to claim any benefits or support.
Liverpool City Council would like to thank you for your support in this matter.
Postnatal advice
Click here for a Patient Information Leaflet on ca
ring for you and your new baby during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Maternity Contacts
If you require urgent assistance or advice you can contact the Maternity Assessment unit via the hospital switchboard on 0151 708 9988, and choose option 1. The Maternity assessment unit is open 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.
If you have any concerns regarding your pregnancy or baby that are non-urgent please contact your community midwife between the hours of 08:30- 16:30 alternatively you can contact the Maternity Assessment unit via the hospital switchboard on 0151 708 9988, and choose option 2.
Additional advice for Birth Partners
On attendance to the maternity unit, all birth partners will be asked whether they have had any symptoms which could suggest COVID-19 in the preceding seven days. If the onset of these symptoms was 10 days or less ago, or they still have symptoms (other than persistent cough), they should be asked to leave the maternity unit immediately and self-isolate at home.
Can I attend the hospital with my partner when she is giving birth?
We do have some restrictions on visiting hours; however, we appreciate that the birth of a baby is an important life event and we are encouraging all birth partners who currently have no symptoms of COVID-19 to attend during labour and for the birth. Birth partners are asked to remain by the woman’s bedside and not to walk around the ward/hospital. You will be given clear guidance on what is expected of you if your partner requires care in the operating theatre (e.g. for Caesarean section).
Should I attend if I have had household contact with a person with symptoms?
Current government advice is that anyone who has been in contact with a household member with possible symptoms of COVID-19 should self-isolate for 14 days, even if they do not have symptoms themselves
If you are a birth partner and are within the 14-day isolation period, provided you have no symptoms yourself, we welcome you to attend for the labour, birth and for a short period after the birth. After the birth you should leave the maternity unit, go straight home and continue your period of self-isolation. We would ask that you wear the mask provided to you and we will advise you about how to use this.
If you have any symptoms of possible COVID-19, you should be at home. If you are in the 14 day self-isolation period it is very important that you advise us of this before coming to the unit.
What visiting restrictions are there for birth partners?
To reduce any unnecessary risk of transmission to mums, babies and staff we are restricting visitors, including birth partners, at all times apart from induction, labour and birth. Visiting is also restricted in some other situations, for example, assessments of possible signs of labour e.g. waters breaking but no contractions. You could be asked to wait until a decision has been made about admission, before coming into the unit yourself. If your partner is in early labour, admission may not be necessary.
What will happen if I have symptoms of COVID-19 or develop them after my partner has been admitted in labour?
It is essential that you advise a member of our staff if you develop:
- A high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
- A new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual.
- A loss or change to your sense of smell or taste
If you develop symptoms, we will ask you to return home and self-isolate We appreciate that this would be extremely disappointing and hope that you understand the importance of taking these measures. We strongly advise that you identify an alternative birth partner who can take your place, just in case you do start to develop symptoms.
We would really appreciate your understanding at this difficult time.
If you have any queries about these restrictions ask to speak to a senior member of the midwifery team.
Useful Links
NHS England Maternity Leaflets:
Coronavirus: Planning your birth
Coronavirus: Parent information for newborn babies
The following maternity leaflets are also available in ten languages:
Coronavirus: Planning your birth
Coronavirus: Parent information for new born babies
Coronavirus: Looking after yourself and your baby in pregnancy
Available to download here:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/publication/maternity-leaflets-translated-versions/