Despite a partial easing of Covid-19 restrictions, allowing sports and outdoor facilities to reopen from next week, pregnant women will still have to attend vital appointments and scans at UHG alone.
According to Sinn Féin Galway West TD Mairéad Farrell, the hospital has informed her that this policy is due to be reviewed next week. She had previously been informed that the decision to allow a support person to attend scans was regularly reviewed. However, she pointed out that there has been no update to this policy since the 5km travel limit was lifted on April 12.
.
'Devastated'
Dep Farrell said the situation means that “while golfers return to the greens on Monday, expectant mothers will still be attending maternity appointments alone”.
She said she had been contacted by many expectant parents who reported they were “devastated” to be apart from each other while one of them received updates on the health of their pregnancy.
.
“Particularly harrowing are the stories from women who have attended scans at UHG alone,” she said, “only to find out they have lost the pregnancy. Meanwhile their partners are sitting out in the car park unaware of this devastating news.”
Dep Farrel said women are too often “an afterthought” when it comes to healthcare. “It is completely unacceptable,” she said, “for maternity care to be pushed to the margins as the country moves out of lockdown.”
