By Candy Gibson, University of South Australia — MedicalXPress — 13 August 2020
A four-fold increase in stillbirths at a large UK maternity hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic may also be replicated in other countries due to guidelines which have discouraged face-to-face antenatal visits. University of South Australia Associate Professor Jane Warland says the alarming evidence from St. George’s University Hospital, London, showed a spike in stillbirths not due to COVID-19 infection itself, but rather its indirect consequences.
“Rather, it is the indirect consequences of expectant mothers being told to stay away from hospitals for fear of contracting the virus or overloading the system. Many high-risk pregnancies were missed, resulting in four times as many stillbirths than usual,” Warland says. “The normal recommendation is that women should see their caregiver at least seven times during their pregnancy. This ensures that any red flags are all picked up during an examination. Instead, expectant mothers have been directed to 10-minute telehealth appointments via phone and Zoom. How can you check someone’s blood pressure or do a physical examination over the phone?”
She advocates home visits by midwives as a viable option until the pandemic is brought under control, and calls for urgent review of COVID antenatal care guidelines to find ways to support pregnant women that don’t put their life, or their unborn baby, at risk.