A new rule brought in at an Adelaide hospital to only allow women to have their partner with them while in active labour and four hours after their baby's birth is angering expectant parents who are calling for it to be scrapped.
The Lyell McEwin Hospital — in Adelaide's north — is the only hospital in the state to bring in such strict restrictions last week, despite a surge in COVID-19 cases over the past month.
The South Australian government says there is less space within the maternity ward than at Adelaide's other major birthing hospitals, increasing the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
Wynn Vale woman Ashleigh Melling is 38 weeks pregnant with her first child and due to have her baby at the Lyell McEwin.
She said it had been a stressful time that she could not have handled alone.
"Sometimes things can go wrong and things like that, so it's quite stressful knowing that I won't get to have my partner there the whole time and I can only have them there when I go into active labour.
"It's the last thing you want to be stressing about it when you're so close to giving birth.
"It's probably not healthy for the baby either being this stressed out either."
'I trust my clinicians': Minister
Premier Steven Marshall said he has asked SA Health to urgently review the "pretty harsh" temporary restrictions.
"I can't imagine not being at a partner's side during such an important time in their lives," he said.
Health Minister Stephen Wade said the restrictions were in place to minimise the risk of infection of COVID-19 and protect patients.
"NALHN (Northern Adelaide Local Health Network) does have particularly strict requirements — partly that is related to the state of the physical asset there," he said.
"For example, the special care nursery there is smaller than similar units at other metropolitan hospitals."
When asked by ABC Radio Adelaide presenter David Bevan if the rule "makes sense", Mr Wade would not agree definitively.
"The local hospital network knows their hospital far better than I do," he said.
"I trust my clinicians and my management teams to deliver the best outcomes.
"I think these restrictions are appropriate and they are kept in place for the shortest possible time."
Adelaide's northern suburbs have a lower vaccination rate and higher COVID-19 infection rate than other parts of South Australia.
The Women's and Children's Hospital — in central Adelaide — limits visitors during labour and after the birth to one at a time.
The Flinders Medical Centre limits visitors to one per day in the maternity ward.
Partners missing out on first moments
Ben Surman, whose wife Amy is 32 weeks pregnant, said partners would be "robbed of those first moments".
"After four hours when the bloke has to go home, I mean, decisions still have to be made and things can still change," he said.
"Having someone there to help make decisions and help wipe bums and things like that is still important."
Tegan Tonkin, a mother-of-three and a doula from Whyalla, started an online petition five months ago to remove restrictions on visitors for new mothers.
It has gained traction recently because of the new rules, with almost 22,000 now signing it.
"I thought something had to be done and at that time in your life you're not ready and open to be pushing it publicly, so I thought I'd do it for all those people who had been reaching out to me," she said.
Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas said the Health Minister should intervene, especially considering SA Health had allowed COVID-positive workers to continue working at an abattoir in Naracoorte last week.
"It requires intervention from the highest levels of government because… on this one, I think it has gone too far," the father-of-three said.
A spokeswoman for the Northern Adelaide Local Health Network said exceptions were made for compassionate reasons.
"We thank the community for their understanding while we make every effort to protect patients, staff and visitors from the spread of COVID-19," she said.
"We will continue to keep monitoring the situation and review as needed."
