| A massive step up from midwives to support pregnant women during the pandemic [message #213] |
Thu, 23 April 2020 06:53 |
Gracia
Messages: 10
Registered: April 2020
Location: Nigeria
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A massive step up from midwives to support pregnant women during the pandemic
While doctors and nurses are working tirelessly to tackle the COVID-19 outbreak, some other health professionals are on the frontline to care for patients who are not with the virus. In other words, they have had to regulate how they work and, as a result of this, confronted with new problems. In a time like this, in some countries where they cannot even be in close physical proximity, midwives have had to rethink how to support pregnant women.
In 2020, which is the international year of the nurses and the midwives, these two professional groups are significant. They are equally going through some challenges. Western Europe nurses previously got a report from UNRIC to find out how they are coping. Midwives were investigated, on how they have had to adjust their work in other to sustain their care for expectant mothers during the pandemic.
So many women are even reconsidering whether to give birth at a hospital because they don’t know how safe the hospital could be. For instance, more expectant women in Belgium are opting to give birth at home, as reported from the Flemish professional organization of midwives (VLOV).
New restrictions are in place in every country, although a restriction condition varies by state. Yet their concerns are not baseless. Like some hospitals have prohibited partnered from being present at birth in Germany. Mere hours after giving birth, hospitals discharge the women as soon as possible. In France, the UK, and Ireland, it is allowed that one person can accompany the woman giving birth, but the government forbids a visit in most countries.
Midwives need support too.
In the UK, as a result of the current pandemic, some of the midwife-led groups are closed.
While they understand their importance, midwives are complaining that they may not be around to attend to pregnant women if a complication arises and to help the expectant mothers who have come to rely on them.
Even as midwives are putting in extra energy, they are being let down because of lack of PPE, as many point out.
Like other health care professionals, midwives are struggling with the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE), both for the women they attend to at the hospital and their protection. European midwife associates are urging authorities to guarantee security to those in the frontline against COVID-19, together with other European health professional associations.
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