COVID Guidance

If you develop COVID during your pregnancy please notify your midwife as additional care planning may be required.
 
Please be assured that we will continue to support partners attending scans and births during this time.
 
If you have symptoms of COVID and are coming to hospital please inform the midwifery team prior to your arrival to ensure you are cared for appropriately.
 
If you are COVID positive during your stay you will be asked to wear a face mask other than when in active labour. Staff looking after you will also be wearing masks and other protective clothing.
 
COVID vaccine is strongly recommended for pregnant and breastfeeding women by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the Royal College of Midwives. The coronavirus (COVID) vaccines available in the UK are the safest and most efective way to protect you and your baby, find out more. Please speak to your GP to book.

Statement from Northamptonshire Maternity Services

Everyone working in maternity across the county are committed to doing everything they can to keep families safe through this pandemic of Covid-19.
 
Although we are working together we are aware that this virus could impact different parts of the maternity services at different times over the coming weeks.
 
Therefore, the services available may differ at times.  This will be influenced by how our maternity units can best keep you safe with the number of staff available to work.
 
Our priority is to provide care in labour to all women along with essential antenatal and postnatal care.  We are confident that we can continue to do this, although we will have to make some changes to the way we work.
 
Some of the key changes we’re making include:
  • Some appointments will be replaced by a telephone consultation.
  • Only one partner should be with a woman throughout her labour
  • No partners to stay overnight on the wards.
  • Birthing partners who are unwell must not come into the hospital.
  • Partners who are self-isolating are strongly recommended not come to the hospital.
Both maternity units are working very closely together to share ideas and resources and are in frequent telephone contact.  We are following and responding to the national guidance as it becomes available to support our decision-making.
 
There will be other changes to the maternity services across the county and our midwives will continue keep women updated as to what the changes are and when they will happen.