COVID-19 Maternity Guidance :: East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust

If you are pregnant and Black, Black British or Asian, Asian British – you might be more vulnerable.
Trust your instincts – call your midwife or maternity team anytime if you are worried about your pregnancy or if you have symptoms of COVID-19.
It is safe to attend for your care and appointments during the pandemic.
Is your mood ok? Who to speak to if it is not ok.
What to do if you miss an appointment.
Signs of labour and what to do if you think you are in labour.
What to do if you have signs and symptoms of pre-eclampsia.
The importance of taking Vitamin D.
Feeling safe in your own home and how to find support if you don’t.
Looking after you and your unborn baby.

Click here to access the resources.

If you are experiencing any of the COVID-19 symptoms below, please contact your community midwife to postpone or re-book your antenatal clinic appointments or scans.

A new, continuous cough
A high temperature or fever
A loss of, or change to, your normal sense of taste or smell

Individuals are not required to isolate due to other household members testing positive with COVID-19, but we would encourage everyone to observe their own wellbeing and contact us to reschedule their appointment if they had symptoms.

Content last reviewed 18 August 2022.

All antenatal outpatient appointments at Burnley General Teaching Hospital, Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital and East Lancashire community midwifery clinics are still taking place.

Whilst attending your appointment, please be assured that all necessary health and safety precautions, in-line with national guidance, have been implemented. Face masks are available for you to wear when required (your midwife or doctor will advise you about this when you attend your appointment).

Content last reviewed 30 August 2022.

Important information for patients using maternity services

From Monday 12 April 2021, partners are welcome to accompany pregnant people to all antenatal scans.

Face masks are available for you to wear when required (your midwife or doctor will advise you about this when you attend your appointment).

You or your partner must not currently have, or in the ten days prior to the scan:

A new, continuous cough
A high temperature or fever
A loss of, or change to, your normal sense of taste or smell
Be waiting for a COVID test or the results of a COVID test

If you, your partner, or anyone you live with have symptoms or have tested positive for COVID-19 then please contact your midwife for advice before attending your appointment.

Content last reviewed 18 August 2022.

Please continue to check the 'Place of birth choices' page which will keep you updated on the availability of our birth locations.

You should expect to be invited to take your baby for a check with your GP at around six to eight weeks after they are born. As part of an overall check of the health of your baby the following will be considered:

Weight of baby
Measurement of head circumference and plotting on the growth chart
If you are breastfeeding

At this appointment you will also be offered a series of vaccinations for your baby, along with a postnatal check for you.

National guidance on babies checks, including six to eight week checks is here.

Information about vaccinations is here.

Postnatal check for new parents

Usually (but not always) at the same appointment as your baby’s six to eight week check with the GP, you will be offered the opportunity to discuss the following:

How you are feeling, as part of a general discussion about mental health and wellbeing
If you still have any vaginal discharge and whether you have had a period since the birth
Blood pressure check, and if you had problems during pregnancy or immediately after the birth
Wound check after an episiotomy or caesarean section
Cervical screening check if this was due during pregnancy, this should be rescheduled for 12 weeks after the birth
Contraception check
Weight check if overweight or obese, with a BMI of 30 or more. You will be offered advice around weight loss and guidance on healthy eating and physical activity

National guidance on post-natal checks is here.

Health Visitor and Child Health Clinics

The service offer for health visiting is different depending on where you live.

Blackburn with Darwen

Face to face appointments are taking place for:

antenatal visits to parents expecting their first baby
all new parents, for six to eight week checks
vulnerable families

Virtual appointments are taking place for:

those giving birth to their second plus baby
eight month and two year checks

Child Health Clinics are being reinstated gradually by appointment only.

For more information, click here.

East Lancashire

Baby clinics are still closed, however, discussions are in progress for a phased approach to reinstating them. Updates will be shared here.

Antenatal visits will be undertaken over the telephone
New birth visits will continue face to face where possible, following appropriate telephone screening
Visits to support vulnerable families and safeguarding visits will continue following appropriate telephone screening.
All safeguarding and Looked After Children will continue to be prioritised
Follow up visits for high risk mothers, babies and families will continue following appropriate telephone screening.
Blood spot screening will continue.

For more information, click here.

Following several changes to community midwifery care within the Trust and the facilities we have within the community setting, the following changes to community clinics will continue throughout the summer.

As several Children's Centre's closed at the start of lockdown we have had to facilitate movement of these clinics to other areas in order to continue providing antenatal and postnatal care effectively. The community midwives have been making daily contact with those who are affected by these changes but please see further information below regarding the locations of some of the clinics with the Pendle/Burnley/Rossendale Areas.

Barnoldswick Children's Centre - All dates and appointment times remain the same but the location is now the Rainhall Centre, Rainhall Road, Barnoldswick.

Colne Children's Centre - This clinic is now running from Colne Health Centre all day on a Monday, all day on a Tuesday, and half a day on Wednesday and Thursday. Please still ring the booking line for an appointment and then a midwife will contact you the week before to inform of the change in location and if any change to the time or date is required.

Ightenhill Children's Centre - All dates and appointment times remain the same but the location of the clinic is now at South West Children's Centre, Tay Street, Burnley.

Family Tree Children's centre

- Monday Clinic - All dates and appointment times remain the same but the location of the clinic is now at South West Children's Centre, Tay Street, Burnley.
As these are booking appointments (first appointments), the midwife will attempt to contact you before your appointment to complete some of the booking over the phone to reduce the time required for a face to face appointment.

- Tuesday Clinic - This clinic is now held on a Wednesday but all appointment times will remain the same and the location will be the Chai Centre, Hurtley Street, Burnley.

Whitefield Children's Centre - All dates and appointment times remain the same but the location of the clinic is now at the Chai Centre, Hurtley Street, Burnley.

Chai Centre - Remains open, no changes

Haslingden Children's Centre - All dates and appointment times remain the same but the location is now at Rawtenstall Primary Care Centre, Bacup Road, Rossendale.

Maden Children's Centre - Remains open, no changes

Waterfoot GP Surgery - Now based at Rawtenstall Primary Care Centre, Bacup Road, Rossendale

Whitegates Clinic - back to original base at Whitegates Children's Centre, Victoria Road, Padiham, Burnley.

*Birth notification information is sent to the health visiting team for your area once your baby has been born.

You should be contacted to arrange further check-ups for your newborn baby, once you have been discharged from the community midwife.

Content last reviewed September 2022.

Flu vaccine and coronavirus (COVID-19)

Flu vaccination is important because:

if you're at higher risk from coronavirus, you're also more at risk of problems from flu
if you get flu and coronavirus at the same time, research shows you're more likely to be seriously ill
it'll help to reduce pressure on the NHS and social care staff who may be dealing with coronavirus

If you've had COVID-19, it's safe to have the flu vaccine. It'll be effective at helping to prevent flu.

Click here to find out more about the flu jab and COVID-19.

Why are pregnant people advised to have the flu vaccine?

The flu jab will help protect both you and your baby.

There is good evidence that pregnant people have a higher chance of developing complications if they get flu, particularly in the later stages of pregnancy.

One of the most common complications of flu is bronchitis, a chest infection that can become serious and develop into pneumonia.

If you have flu while you're pregnant, it could cause your baby to be born prematurely or have a low birthweight, and may even lead to stillbirth or death.

You can access the flu vaccination at your GP practice, at your antenatal clinic, and it's also provided at Blackburn Birth Centre. If you're unsure, speak with your midwife.

Is the flu vaccine safe in pregnancy?

Yes. Studies have shown that it's safe to have the flu vaccine during any stage of pregnancy, from the first few weeks up to your expected due date.

Those who have had the flu vaccine while pregnant also pass some protection on to their babies, which lasts for the first few months of their lives.

It's safe for parents who are breastfeeding to have the vaccine.

Click here for more information on the flu jab in pregnancy.

Click here to read COVID-19 vaccination advice for women of childbearing age, pregnant or breastfeeding.

Click here for a guide to the Covid-19 autumn booster.

Click here for a guide on the Covid-19 vaccine for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Click here for a leaflet on immunisations to protect you and your baby from infectious diseases.

COVID-19 Maternity Guidance

All visitors must wear a face mask.

If you receive a positive COVID-19 test result, contact your midwife as soon as possible.

Pregnant people should take a daily Vitamin D supplement

We'd love your feedback!

Content last reviewed 18 August 2022.

Content last reviewed 30 August 2022.

Content last reviewed 18 August 2022.

Content last reviewed September 2022.

COVID-19 Maternity Guidance

All visitors must wear a face mask.

If you receive a positive COVID-19 test result, contact your midwife as soon as possible.

Pregnant people should take a daily Vitamin D supplement

We'd love your feedback!

Visiting guidance

Positive COVID-19 test result?

COVID-19 Information / معلومات / Informacja / তথ্য / 信息 / માહિતી / ਜਾਣਕਾਰੀ / Informação / معلومات

Maternity safety information for BAME communities

Symptoms and shielding

Content last reviewed 18 August 2022.

Antenatal clinic appointments

Content last reviewed 30 August 2022.

Ultrasound scans

Content last reviewed 18 August 2022.

Birthing locations

Health and development reviews for parent and baby

Community clinics

Content last reviewed September 2022.

Getting your flu vaccine

COVID-19 vaccination for women of childbearing age, pregnant or breastfeeding

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