Childbirth During the Pandemic
3/17/2021
Keeping Moms and Babies Safe During the Pandemic
Hospital welcomed more than 800 newborns in 2020 and is prepared to deliver more this year
GADSDEN, Alabama, March 16, 2021 – The delivery of babies has been a happy event for the labor and delivery team at Gadsden Regional Medical Center over the past year. Hundreds of infants have taken their first breath at the hospital and been a welcome sight in the midst of the global pandemic.
While the virus has changed many things in the world – the hospital’s labor and delivery floor and nursery are a pleasant constant, located on an exclusive floor to provide specialized care and services. A dedicated team of nurses and obstetricians work exclusively with the moms and babies through delivery and post-partum care.
“Beginning in March 2020, our team at Gadsden Regional created protocols to keep our patients safe both in the office and the hospital,” states Lindsay Frederick, M.D., obstetrician and gynecologist at Women’s Health Partners. “Our team has met weekly to review current information on COVID-19 in pregnancy since the information changes so quickly. We have also utilized Telehealth in our office to care for our pregnant patients with COVID-19.”
Prenatal care remains critical and women are encouraged to stay in contact with their obstetrician and keep their appointments to be sure their pregnancy is on track. And once baby is here, regular visits to the pediatrician are important to help them thrive.
Pediatrician Claire Yother, M.D., states, “Prenatal care is vital to ensure the healthiest pregnancy and delivery for you and your baby. Not delaying care before or after birth is vital to a healthy infancy and childhood for your baby.”
The hospital and physician clinics keep the safety of their patients as the top priority. Many actions have been taken to enhance infection prevention and support social distancing to maintain a safe environment during the pandemic.
“At GRMC, we are doing many things to protect our mothers and newborn infants,” states Dr. Yother. “We are wearing protective equipment and limiting visitors to our floor to help prevent exposures. We are also isolating any infants with potential illness in a private nursery. It is our goal to provide quality care for you and your baby.”
Patients scheduled for induction or a caesarian section are tested for COVID 1-3 days prior to admission, similar to surgical patients. Mothers of newborns may have one guest stay with them in their room throughout their stay. The individual must wear a mask at all times and abide by all COVID-19 screening procedures.
“We encourage the use of video chat and FaceTime to involve family members who cannot be present during office or hospital visits,” states Dr. Frederick. “We are happy to make those accommodations for our patients and their families.”
Labor and delivery proceed as they always have and most adjacent procedures remain available. Tubal ligation after delivery is an option if a mother is negative for COVID-19 and circumcisions can also be performed even if the mom is COVID positive as long as it is cleared by the pediatrician. Breastfeeding and rooming-in are still encouraged by our labor and delivery physicians and nursing staff.
Gadsden resident Cantrell Ellis Lowe delivered her son at Gadsden Regional Medical Center during July of 2020. Dr. Frederick was the delivering physician. Cantrell states, “Dr. Frederick and the support staff at Gadsden Regional took every precaution necessary to make mine and my baby’s safety their top priority while delivering during the COVID-19 pandemic. I will forever be grateful for the professionalism and compassion during such a special time in my family’s life.”
“This past year has been extremely difficult for the hospitals in this country due to the COVID pandemic,” states pediatrician Benjamin Hester, M.D., of Etowah Pediatrics. “Through it all, Gadsden Regional managed to stay open and available providing health care to our community, and at the same time, adjusting to the extraordinary challenges of providing all the safety measures needed for our patients.”
For information on labor and delivery at Gadsden Regional Medical Center, visit www.GadsdenRegional.com or call (256) 494-4000. If you need help finding an obstetrician, pediatrician or another physician, visit the “Find a Doctor” link at GadsdenPhysicianClinics.com.
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