Women who choose a shorter hospital stays after delivering their baby during the pandemic are pleased with that option, and there’s no adverse outcome for mother or child.
Dr. Gary Fornera, an obstetrician and gynecologist with UPMC’s Wellsboro OB/GYN office, said before the pandemic, patients would stay 48 hours for a vaginal delivery and 72 hours for a cesarean section.
When the pandemic arrived, patients had the option to shorten those times as a way of decreasing exposure to the coronavirus for both patients and healthcare providers.
Recently, he said, the American Journal of OB/GYN looked at thousands of patients over a 60-day period during the pandemic. The study encompassed everything from how COVID-19 affected the entire birthing process from labor and delivery to returning home.
“We’ve noted that there really have been no adverse outcomes as a result of this,’’ said Dr. Fornera.
New mothers could stay the full length of time, but many choose shorter stays.
“Some people do want to stay the 48 hours or three days, but many people want to return to their home environment where they feel safe,” Dr. Fornera said.
In addition, many hospitals also adjusted the number of people at the birth to one visitor or support person during labor, delivery and post-partum care, he said.
“By limiting it to one visitor, it helped significantly for having more time for patients to be with providers, learn and practice breastfeeding with less interruption and distractions overall,” Dr. Fornera said.
UPMC Wellsboro, which delivers an average of 15-20 babies per month, set the minimum stay to 24 hours for vaginal birth. It is something the hospital may adopt post-COVID as it appeals to patients and has no negative impact on the health of mother and infant.
“We really have seen that shorter stays at UPMC Wellsboro have not had any adverse outcome for mother or the neonate,” Dr. Fornera said. “It is very well accepted and going over very well.”
Once discharged, patients are able to share the new arrival with family and friends in the security of their own home.
“Limiting the number of people around them is hard on them,” Dr. Fornera said. “They are missing out on that. By shortening the post-partum stay that is mandatory, they have more opportunity to share this wonderful experience in the post-partum period with their families without compromising care and teaching of other facilities.”
