Coronavirus: Pregnant women allowed support partner during labour after NHS rule change

Support partners will now be allowed to be present 'at all times' Credit: PA

Pregnant women will be allowed to have their partner present during scans, labour and birth, for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic began, under new plans announced by the NHS.

The new guidance issued this week means mothers-to-be in England will be permitted to have one person beside them “at all stages of her maternity journey” and attend appointments as long as the support partner is not showing any Covid-19 symptoms.

Previously, it had been left to individual health trusts to draw up their own rules on whether a partner could be present, with many opting to ban partners or any other person from attending any appointments relating to pregnancy as well as the birth of the child.

It meant many women had been left to give birth alone since the start of the pandemic.

There has been considerable pressure on the government and the NHS to change the rules around pregnancy during the pandemic.

In September a cross-party group of 60 MPs signed a letter urging the NHS to allow pregnant women to have someone to come with them whenever they need.

Under new guidance published on Monday, trusts have been requested to review their current rules.

It said: “Pregnant women value the support from a partner, relative, friend or other person through pregnancy and childbirth as it facilitates emotional wellbeing and is a key component of safe and personalised maternity care.

“It is, therefore, our aim, further to a risk assessment, that a woman should have access to support from a person of her choosing at all stages of her maternity journey and that all trusts should facilitate this as quickly as possible.”

As part of the guidance, health bosses have been asked to undertake a risk assessment in each part of their maternity service with the aim of identifying if there is an “elevated risk of Covid-19 transmission if support people are present”.

They have also been told to address issues highlighted in the risk assessment, such as making changes to the configuration of space, taking measures to limit the chance of infection and wearing PPE.

The guidance added: “Many trusts have already found creative solutions to overcome remaining challenges and they have maximised the support that pregnant women can receive throughout their pregnancy.

“It is important now that all trusts do this.

“We are asking all trust boards to urgently complete any further action needed so that partners can accompany women to all appointments and throughout birth.”

Campaign group Pregnant Then Screwed, which had protested against the rules around pregnancy during the pandemic, welcomed the NHS's new guidance.They said they were happy to see the revised guidance but would carry on campaigning until every hospital had removed the restrictions.