COVID-19 information for pregnant women and new mums

We are in uncertain and unprecedented times, and everyone will respond differently to how COVID-19 is impacting them. It’s important not only to look after your physical health but also your mental health. It’s completely normal to be feeling a wide range of emotions, including being worried, anxious and scared. As we are all encouraged to socially distance, it is very important to stay connected with friends and whānau using technology and telephone contact.

• The Ministry of Health has a list of really good resources and contacts if you need mental health and wellbeing support during the COVID-19.
• Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Aotearoa website has a whole host of information for pregnant women during the COVID-19, from dealing with uncertainty, building resilience, coping with stress and looking after your mental health.
• Depression.org.nz has information on coping with COVID-19.
• If you feel you need professional support for anxiety and distress you can call or text 1737 to talk with a trained counsellor for free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• If you are currently getting help with your mental health, continue this – talk to your GP, counsellor, case worker or mental health team about how they can continue to support you over the phone, via email, text or video chat.
• Talk to a trained counsellor on the New Zealand Depression Helpline. Call 0800 111 757 or text 4202 to talk about how you are feeling or ask a question. 
• Pregnancy Counselling Services is an independent charitable trust offering free counselling service, emotional support, information and practical help. Call 0800 PREGNANT (0800 773 462) for free, or visit their website to find out more about support in pregnancy.
• Te Rōpū Whakakaupapa Urutā: National Māori Pandemic Group have information for whānau about COVID-19

Keep attending your health care appointments and accessing health care when you need it

• It is important for you to have your antenatal and postnatal checks with your midwife in person or by phone / video call. Talk to you midwife about how this will happen.
• If you have a scan booked it is safe for you to attend, COVID precautions are in place in all ultrasound facilities and in the hospital.
• If you have a hospital antenatal appointment, be assured COVID precautions are in place with social distancing, mandatory mask wearing, and having a separate system for those who are suspected of having COVID.
• If you have any urgent maternity care needs the women’s health assessment (WAU) and delivery suites is open 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Call your LMC to discuss your urgent care needs and she will arrange for your attendance at the hospital. If you cannot get in touch with your midwife call WAU on 839 8899 so you can be assessed over the phone and we will make preparations for your arrival at WAU.
• Our staff are here to care for you and COVID precautions are in place to protect you.

Wearing a mask when going to essential services and taking exercise

Always wear a mask when you leave home to protect yourself. It is now mandatory to wear a mask when you are visiting essential services. The delta strain of the virus has stronger transmission. The virus can be breathed in if you are in close proximity to someone who has the virus. 

• It is important to wear a mask even when you are out walking and getting fresh air
• Protect yourself and wear a mask when you are using essential services like the supermarket or pharmacy
• You will need to wear a mask if you are attending your maternity service appointments or scans
• When you are in labour once you have settled into the birth room you will not be required to wear a mask.

Having a smoke-free pregnancy and home 

Smoking impacts on the lungs of people who smoke, or those breathing in second-hand smoke from people smoking near them in their home or cars. If your lungs are not as strong and you get COVID-19 you could have a more severe illness.

One of the best things you and/or your whānau can do for your health and your baby’s health is to stop smoking. Koia nā! Mō āke Tonu!

Waikato Once and For All stop smoking service can help. You can find out more and enrol for help on their website or ask your midwife or doctor to refer you to Hei manaaki ngā mama e hapū ana – Help for pregnant mums. The service is open during the COVID-19 restrictions lockdown and they are working in conjunction with the national Quitline team, they will support you either by phone, text, email or video calling.

COVID-19 Vaccination and pregnancy

• If you catch COVID-19 when you’re pregnant, you are more likely to become very unwell.
• If you’re not vaccinated, you are more likely to be admitted to the intensive care unit – particularly with the Delta variant. There are also increased risks for babies. Babies are five times more likely to be born prematurely and require neonatal intensive care. 
• Data from the large number of pregnant people already vaccinated globally shows that there are no additional safety concerns with giving COVID-19 vaccines.
• You can have your vaccination at any stage of your pregnancy.
• Vaccinating during pregnancy may also help protect your baby as there is evidence that babies can get antibodies through the placenta that help protect them from COVID-19.
• If you have any questions or concerns, discuss them with your health care professional

Breastfeeding

• If you’re breastfeeding (as with all vaccines on the New Zealand Immunisation Schedule), there are no safety concerns about getting the Pfizer vaccine (Comirnaty).
• When you're vaccinated, this can also provide some protection against COVID-19 for your baby through your breastmilk.

Trying for a baby

• If you’re planning a pregnancy you and your partner can receive the Pfizer vaccine (Comirnaty).
• The Pfizer vaccine will not affect your genes or fertility. The mRNA from the vaccine does not enter the nucleus of any cells, which is where your DNA is.

Visit Book My Vaccine or book by phone – call the COVID Vaccination Healthline on 0800 28 29 26 (8am to 8pm, 7 days a week).

For more information about the COVID-19 Vaccination

• Open this link to find out How the Pfizer vaccine works
• COVID-19 vaccine: Pregnancy and breastfeeding
• Open this link to Te Rōpū Whakakaupapa Urutā – the National Māori Pandemic Group.

We know that your pregnancy journey is a very important time for you and your whānau. We are working hard to ensure you, your whānau, our staff and other patients are safe while you are attending antenatal clinic appointments at Women's Health Clinic. As a result we have made some changes to how the service is run:

Appointments

• Appointments have been changed in response to the COVID-19. This is to minimise face to face contact and to maximise safety. Depending on your condition and the reason for your referral to clinic, your appointment may be carried out over the phone. We will keep you informed about what will happen.
• If you require a scan/tests/monitoring or if you require an examination, you will need to attend clinic for your appointment – we will tell you.

Attending clinic for an appointment

• If you have tested positive for COVID-19 or awaiting results of a COVID-19 test and you have an appointment to attend clinic please ring 027 208 9018 before your appointment, so arrangements can be made for your safe care at clinic.
• If you are attending clinic in person please wear a mask when you enter the building.
• Unfortunately you will not be able to bring a support person or partner to clinic. This is to reduce the number of people in the clinics physical space. Please do not bring children with you to clinic.
• Please note the entrance to Women’s Health Clinic (B3) is closed. All arrivals and exits must arrive and depart via the delivery suite entrance (B2) and come down the stairs or lift to B3.
• We ask that partners/support people do not park their car outside B2 entrance while waiting for you in Clinic. It is important this area is clear for women arriving in labour, women arriving for appointments and for women and new born babies being picked up following their discharge from the ward.

In response to the COVID-19, we have changed how Waikato DHB's diabetes service and clinics are run. We are limiting face to face contact in our diabetes outpatient clinics to ensure you and your whānau, our staff and other patients are safe while you are being cared for.

Women with Gestation Diabetes Mellitus (GDM)

• A routine blood test in early pregnancy may indicate you need further screening for gestation diabetes mellitus (GDM). This will take place between 24 – 28 weeks pregnancy. Your lead maternity carer (LMC/midwife) will offer you a test for gestational diabetes, an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). This will confirm a diagnosis of GDM, which is becoming increasingly common in the population. If you are not diagnosed with GDM you will be informed and your LMC will continue to provide your care.
• If your OGTT is positive for GDM the Diabetes in Pregnancy team will contact you by phone and you will receive a detailed information pack, with meters for checking your blood glucose levels including detailed information and links to videos to support this. We will continue to support you to manage your health via phone and email.
• The Diabetes in Pregnancy team will provide clinical care to support you to manage your GDM along with the Obstetric team at the hospital, but your midwife will remain your lead maternity carer and continue to provide your midwifery care.
• You may also need to come to an antenatal clinic appointment in the hospital. See information in Antenatal clinic appointments section for more information about attending a clinic with the obstetric team.

Women with Type 1 diabetes or Type 2 diabetes

• If you have type 1 or 2 diabetes you will be referred to the diabetes in pregnancy service as soon as you engage with a LMC, general practitioner (G.P) or diabetes educator.  
• Women with type 1 diabetes will already be very familiar with diabetes management. The diabetes in pregnancy team encourages contact ASAP to allow for further advice and guidance on glycaemic control to account for the expected physiological changes in your pregnancy.  You will receive a phone call from the Diabetes clinical nurse specialist to discuss this and plan for ongoing care. The diabetes in pregnancy team will support you regularly via phone or email to manage your diabetes and gain control of your BGLs to promote optimal health for you and your developing baby, and to minimise the potential for complications in pregnancy related to your diabetes.
• If you have type 2 diabetes, you may already be familiar with diabetes management but will require further support and guidance from the diabetes in pregnancy team. For those who do not, you will receive a detailed information pack with equipment for checking your blood glucose levels (BGLs), detailed information and links to videos about managing type 2 diabetes in pregnancy. We will support your regularly via phone or email to manage your diabetes and gain control of your BGLs to promote optimal health for you and your developing baby, and to minimise the potential for complications in pregnancy related to your diabetes.
• Regular clinic appointments with the diabetes doctors will occur via phone or virtual consultations.
• You will be referred to the obstetric team early in your pregnancy. See information in antenatal clinic appointments section for more information about attending the clinic for your obstetric appointment.
• You will require midwifery care for normal pregnancy, labour, birth and postnatal care. It is highly recommended you seek midwifery care early as midwife bookings fill fast.

During the COVID-19 we are working very hard to ensure that Women’s Assessment Unit (WAU) environment is safe for you, your baby our staff and other patients.  For us to do this we have made some changes to how things work in WAU.

WAU is a service that is open 24 hours a day 7 days a week for urgent care for pregnant women. However this is not a drop in service or walk in clinic.

• Your midwife (LMC) or doctor (GP) will contact WAU and arrange for you to attend and we will expect your arrival. If you need to be seen that day, but not urgently, the WAU team will discuss this with your LMC/GP and they will let you know about the best time to attend.
• If you have an urgent pregnancy related issue, for example bleeding or a change in your baby’s movements and you cannot get hold of your LMC, ring 07 839 8899 so you can be assessed over the phone and we will make preparations for your arrival at WAU.
• If you have tested positive for COVID-19 or awaiting results of a COVID-19 test ask your LMC or GP to let WAU know or call WAU on 07 839 8899, so arrangements can be made for your safe care in WAU.
• Please wear a mask when you enter the building.
• Unfortunately you will not be able to bring a support person or partner to WAU. This is to reduce the number of people in the clinics physical space. Please do not bring children with you to WAU.
• Please arrive at B2 main reception. We ask that partners/support people do not park their car outside B2 entrance while waiting for you in the Women’s Assessment Unit (WAU). It is important this area is clear for women arriving in labour, and for women attending clinic or WAU and new born babies being picked up following their discharge from the ward.

Information for women who are planning to/or have been recommended to have their baby in Waikato Hospital.

We know that the birth of your baby is a very important time for you and your whānau and you may be apprehensive about giving birth at this time. We are working very hard to ensure the delivery suite environment is safe for you, your baby and support person as well as our staff and other patients.  For us to do this we have made some changes to how things work in the delivery suite and the ward environment.

Please advise your LMC if you are feeling unwell with any COVID-19 symptoms. If you have tested positive for COVID-19 or you are awaiting COVID-19 test results. Your LMC will need to let Delivery Suite know ahead of time before your labour starts and when you go into labour (before you arrive at delivery suite). 

This will enable us to make preparations for your arrival and safe care during labour and the birth of your baby. The Ministry of Health has advised that all women with COVID-19 or have a high suspicion of COVID-19 should be cared for by the hospital team.

If you are having a c-section

• If you are having a planned c-section, the hospital team will ring you the day before to check if you and your support person are well (have no COVID-19 symptoms) they will go over information for the next day. On the day, one support person can come into the hospital with you and wait in women’s assessment unit (WAU) with you while you await theatre. The same support person can remain with you in theatre and the post-operative care area but cannot accompany you to the ward.
• If you are having an emergency c-section the support person that has been with you during labour / arrives at the hospital with you can accompany you into theatre, depending on the level of the emergency. If they are unable to come into theatre they will wait until they get the call that you are out of theatre and they can join you until you are ready to go the ward.

If you are having an Induction of Labour (IOL)

• If you are having an Induction of Labour, the hospital team will ring you the day before to check if you and your support person are well (have no COVID-19 symptoms) they will go over information for the next day.
• On the day of your IOL arrive at B2 and report to WAU reception, from there you will go to the ward to commence your induction. Unfortunately due to Covid-19 restrictions your partner / support person cannot come to the ward with you.
• Your partner / support person will be called when you are ready to go to Delivery Suite. They will join you in the birth room. You can only have one support person during labour.
• As you will have been informed at your clinic appointment and/or by your LMC, the induction can take many hours and you may stay on the ward overnight. If you and your partner/support person live a significant distance from the hospital and it would be difficult to go home after dropping you at the hospital and returning please discuss with your LMC in advance of the day of your induction. Your LMC will discuss options and arrangements, with hospital staff, to accommodate your support person.

When you go into labour 

• When you go into labour ring your midwife (LMC) who will talk to you to assess what stage of labour you are in. Your LMC may also come and assess you at home. Your LMC will make arrangements to meet you in Delivery Suite.
• If you cannot contact your LMC and you feel that your labour is progressing ring Delivery Suite 07 839 8899 and they will assess you, if you need to come in straight away they will make arrangements for your arrival.

Support people

• You are welcome to bring one support person with you to delivery suite.
• If you have other children at home you can arrange for a family member or trusted adult to care for your children, while you come into Waikato Hospital with your partner.
• Your support person will need to stay with you the whole time, for safety reasons they will not be able to leave delivery suite and return to the delivery room. You cannot have a second person “to take over for them”. Make sure your support person has drinks and snacks with them should they need them. Children are not allowed in Delivery Suite at this time.
• Do not bring a support person/partner to delivery suite with you if they have tested positive for COVID-19 or awaiting a COVID-19 test result or they have symptoms of COVID-19, even if they are the baby’s father, as they need to be self-isolating. If they come into delivery suite it will put you, your baby, our staff and other patients at risk.

Following your baby’s birth:

• After your baby has been born and if you or you baby are clinically unwell you will be admitted directly to the maternity ward from delivery suite to ensure you and/or your baby receive the obstetric/neonatal care that you or your baby needs.
• Your partner will not be able to come up to the ward with you and stay with you. This is for the safety of women, babies and staff on the ward as it minimises the number of contact people have on the ward.
• If you and your baby are well, we recommend you have your postnatal care at the birth centre of your choice, as you will be in private double room with your own en-suite facilities and your partner can stay with you. This option is particularly for women who feel they will initially need more midwifery care and support.
• If you and your baby are well you also have the options of going directly home from delivery suite and your LMC will visit you at home.

The following information is for women who are staying on the Waikato Hospital ward for clinical care while they are pregnant and for women who are staying on the ward with their baby following birth.

Knowing COVID is circulating in the community can be a very scary time for pregnant women or to have just had a baby. We are working very hard to ensure the ward environment is safe for you, your baby, our staff and other patients.  The layout of the ward does not enable social distancing if additional people such as visitors and support people come to the ward. For us to ensure women and babies are safe we have made some changes to how things work on the ward.

Antenatal and Postnatal women  

• You will be staying on ward E1 or E2
• In order to keep the ward as safe an environment as possible and in line with the hospital restrictions, you will not be able to have a support person stay on the ward with you. This minimises the number of people using the facilities on the ward and therefore the number of contacts women on the ward have with other people. This is in line with all other New Zealand hospitals with similar facilities to Waikato Hospital.
• In line with the hospital and national restrictions there are unfortunately no visitors allowed to the ward environment. Children are not allowed on the ward.
• Waikato DHB has a free wifi service which will enable you to stay in contact with your loved ones, wider whānau and friends.
• All women will be screened for COVID-19 before admission to the ward.
• Women staying on the ward will continue to receive the same clinical care for their condition from our midwives, nurses and doctors who work on the ward as before level 3, additionally each woman will also be screened each day for symptoms of COVID-19.

When you are ready to be discharged from the ward you can phone your partner/support person to collect you.

Babies admitted to NICU can have one parent or caregiver visit each 24 hour period. This restriction is to keep NICU babies safe. Certain circumstances will be considered on discussion with the Charge Nurse of the NICU nursery. The parent or caregiver will need to wear a mask and follow hand hygiene infection control measures.

Visitors are not allowed to the NICU nursery at this time.

We know that the birth of your baby is a very important time for you and your whānau and you may be apprehensive about giving birth when COVID is circulating in the community. Primary birth facilities are working very hard to ensure the birth centre environment is safe for you, your baby and support person as well as staff and other women and babies in their care.  This has meant changes to how things work in primary birth facilities.

When you go into labour  

• All Waikato primary birth facilities are open for labour and birth care provided you do not have a high suspicion of COVID-19, awaiting a COVID-19 test result or you have tested positive for COVID-19.
• Women and their support person/partner will be screened for COVID-19 when they arrive.
• Please do not arrive at a birth centre in labour before contacting your LMC first. Your LMC will talk to you to assess what stage of labour you are in. Your LMC may also come and assess you at home. Your LMC will make arrangements to meet you at the birth centre.
• You will need to arrive wearing a mask – you will be able to remove this once you have settled into the birthing room.

Support people in primary birth facilities during birth and for postnatal stay 

• Please contact your birth centre to find out about their current support person policy for labour and birth and their current visitor policy.
• Please ensure your support person staying with you for postnatal care has also packed a bag.
• Your support person(s) will need to arrive at the birth centre wearing a mask.
• If you have other children at home you can arrange for a family member or trusted adult to care for your children in your home while you come into the primary birthing facility with your partner.
• Please do not bring a support person/partner to the birth or for your postnatal care if they have a high suspicion of COVID-19, awaiting a COVID-19 test result or have tested positive for COVID-19, even if they are the baby’s father, as they need to be self-isolating. If they come into the primary birthing facility it will put you, your baby, maternity staff and other women and babies at risk.
• The kitchen and common areas in primary birth facilities may be closed. Your support person will need to stay in the postnatal room with you. Please check with the primary birth facility or ask your LMC if food will be supplied to your partner staying with you during your postnatal stay or what the options are for bringing in food/purchasing food.

Visitors to Primary Birth Centres in level 2

Please contact the primary birth facility you will be having your postnatal stay with to find out more about their visitor policy.