Covid-19: Pandemic blamed for lack of midwife support

A pregnant woman who caught Covid is calling for more support from midwifery services during the pandemic.

Mother-of-two Keira Sanded, from Seaford in Sussex, contracted the virus just before Christmas.

"My surgery phoned to let me know that I was high risk, but I'd already had it. I've felt a bit alone in terms of medical care and assistance," she said.

The Royal College of Midwives said services have had to be scaled down to keep all patients safe.

Ms Sanded said she felt she had not been offered the same kind of care that she received before the pandemic.

She said: "I haven't seen my midwife since I was eight weeks pregnant, the only appointments that I've had with a midwife have been my two scans at 12 and 20 weeks. I've had no contact with anybody.

"I understand the NHS is under terrible strain, but I do believe that the coronavirus has taken preference over everything else.

"If I was a first time mum I think I'd be absolutely petrified now, in the middle of this pandemic with having very little contact with any midwifery care."

The Royal College of Midwives said the NHS has to take the safety of everyone into account.

Abbie Aplin, from the college, said: "Everyone wants things to be back to the way they were but unfortunately we're still in the middle of this pandemic.

"They have to protect not only the women, but they have to protect the women already in hospital, they have to protect their staff."

The MP for Sevenoaks, Laura Trott, brought up the issue of maternity care in Parliament and was told by ministers that "there is no part of the health service that has not been affected in some way".