Safe, supportive maternity care during a pandemic

Last December, blue-eyed, brown-haired Joseph Reed arrived at Saint Francis Hospital. His mom, Liz Johnson-Salerno, had all three of her other children at Saint Francis too. Liz knew that the pandemic would change some aspects of her birth experience, mainly when it came to visitation. But the care and support were just as good as before.

“The care I received from my obstetrician throughout my pregnancy and my experience of being in the hospital felt exactly the same,” Liz says.

Pandemic ripples

Nationwide, the pandemic has affected some maternity trends.

For instance, many hospitals (Saint Francis included) likely saw a decrease in births rather than a predicted baby boom, says Nancy Fan, MD, an obstetrician/gynecologist at Saint Francis. However, birth rates seemed to increase again in late 2021, she notes.

The pandemic has challenged everyone, including nurses, doctors and other front-line workers.

“But the good news is the quality and level of care hasn’t changed,” Dr. Fan says. “When you come in to deliver your baby, the only difference is the number of support people you can bring.”

Currently at Saint Francis, women can have one labor and delivery support person and a doula. That’s for everyone’s safety. Video chat apps help many moms connect with those who can’t be there in person.

“It’s great having a baby in the 21st century,” Dr. Fan says. “Everyone has FaceTime and Zoom.”

Here are some pandemic questions Dr. Fan often is asked:

• Can I still stay with my baby? “Of course! You can have room-in with your baby and have skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding,” Dr. Fan says.
• What precautions does the hospital take? “They do COVID-19 testing of patients, masking and enhanced cleaning, among other things,” she says.

“We have learned over the past two years we don’t need to change too much of their birthing experience in the pandemic,” says Dr. Fan. “I think that’s reassuring. People are happy to hear that.”

An overall great experience Liz says she felt very safe having her baby at Saint Francis during the pandemic. What’s more, the caring nursing staff was “just phenomenal,” she says. “It’s a family experience,” Liz says.

Two more key messages

Dr. Fan also wants pregnant women to know:

1. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that pregnant women get vaccinated against COVID-19. Vaccines are safe, and they help protect against serious illness that may lead to pregnancy complications.
2. Regular prenatal care is still important, even during the pandemic. “Keep in mind that hospitals and doctors’ offices are safe,” Dr. Fan says.