Women endured 'devastating' miscarriages alone in hospital beds due to coronavirus ban on birth partners

Conservative MP for Rother Valley Alexander Stafford became a father on April 23, and was able to be with his wife Natalie when she gave birth to their daughter Persephone.

And although restrictions should have now been lifted through new guidance, and hospitals have been told to allow birth partners to be present during labour, Mr Stafford is now calling for the same for important scans and during early labour.

And he said some hospitals still do not allow visitors in at all throughout pregnancy.

The issue was raised by Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner during Prime Minister’s Questions today.

She said: “We’ve heard of relatives dying alone in care homes and people not being able to say goodbye to their loved ones. We’ve also heard from mothers who have had to give birth without the support of their partners or their family.

“The Health Secretary yesterday said that the new guidance had been issued, but even under that new guidance many birth partners will not be allowed to join until that moment of established labour, leaving women enduring difficult labours or even worse, traumatic and devastating miscarriages alone without support.

“Will the Prime Minister agree to meet with me and my honourable friends and work with us to ensure that no woman is forced to give birth without the support that they need?”

Boris Johnson, whose son Wilfred was born on April 29, also during lockdown, replied: “I totally agree that birth partners should be able to attend the birth, that’s why we changed the guidance in the way that we did.

“But of course I’m very happy to encourage co-operation between her and my right honourable friends in the Health Department to take the matter forward.”

Mr Stafford said: “With my own wife having given birth during lockdown, I know first-hand how difficult the experience can be for mothers and how essential it is that partners are with the mothers at all stages of birth.

“Pregnancy is full of surprises; often joyous, but sometimes tragic. I have heard stories of women who have had miscarriages alone in a hospital bed, with no family support at all. That is unacceptable, and NHS trusts must be compassionate, must do right by UK women, and loosen restrictions immediately.”

Founder of charity Pregnant Then Screwed, Joeli Brearley, said: ''We are delighted to see that hospitals across the country have started to lift their restrictions ensuring women can attend scan appointments and the duration of labour with a partner or trusted person, and we are delighted to see that MPs across the country are pushing hard on their local NHS trusts to make sure they lift restrictions if they haven’t already.

“This initiative is imperative for the mental and physical health of a mother and her baby. If your hospital is yet to lift these restrictions, please write to your local hospital trust to explain how these restrictions are making you feel and to ask that they consider removing them in line with Government advice and advice from the Royal College of Midwives and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.”