Mothers will not have to give birth alone: New York clarifies hospital visitor policy

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – New York clarified its guidance on hospital visitation to require hospitals to allow one support person to accompany women giving birth, and one support person at a time in pediatric emergency or hospitalization settings.

In order to slow the spread of coronavirus in medical facilities, the state Department of Health had previously suspended all hospital visitation except when medically necessary, or when family members or legal representatives had to be present in an imminent end-of-life situation with an individual in the hospital.

While parts of this guidance are still in place, the department clarified its position Friday to ensure hospitals allowed one support person, such as a partner, doula or parent, into labor and delivery settings and pediatric emergency settings, as long as the visitors aren’t showing symptoms of coronavirus.

“The Department considers one support person essential to patient care throughout labor, delivery and the immediate postpartum period,” the department’s statement read.

As of Saturday morning, more than 600,000 people had signed a change.org petition on the clarified guidelines, urging private hospitals in the New York City area to respect birthing mothers’ need to have in-person support from a loved one or birth worker.

The New York Presbyterian Medical system had said it would ban all visitors March 30, even in the labor and delivery area, according to its website.

“We understand that this will be difficult for our patients and their loved ones, but we believe that this is a necessary step to promote the safety of our new mothers and children,” New York Presbyterian’s statement read.

Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City also banned visitors for labor and delivery, effective March 24, and only allowed one visitor for the duration of a baby’s stay in the neonatal intensive care unit, according to its website.

In pediatric settings, the patient or family member/caregiver may designate two support people, but only one may be present with the patient at a time, the state health department said.

All visitors must be screened for coronavirus symptoms like cough, shortness of breath or fever, as well as potential exposure to coronavirus in other settings, upon their entry into a clinical area of the hospital and every 12 hours after that.

Hospitals were directed to work on providing other forms of communication between visitors and hospitalized individuals; some are trying to provide tablets at bedsides, for example.

This article originally appeared on New York State Team: Coronavirus: NY hospitals must allow birthing mothers to have visitors