As of March 28, 2020, Pennsylvania hospitals are largely allowing a laboring person to have one support person/visitor with them. Many organizations and research shows that this visitor is essential to care for the patient during labor, delivery and in the postpartum period.  The World Health Organization (WHO) agrees.  We agree. And we would like to safeguard this right from being taken away.

In an effort to prevent a series of events similar to those that took place in New York, we are circulating this petition to demonstrate the significance and seriousness of having a birth partner. (On March 26, all New York Presbyterian and Mount Sinai affiliated hospitals, and Staten Island University Hospital in the New York City area acted against WHO, CDC and DOH guidance and banned all support people--including spouses--from Labor & Delivery and Postpartum units.  This was rescinded in an executive order by Governor Cuomo that now requires public and private hospitals to comply with the most recent Department of Health directive and allow partners back in to Labor & Delivery.)

Fundamentally, risks for the people laboring alone can increase substantially without a support person/birth partner. Not only can partners and spouses provide physical and emotional comfort during labor and postpartum, they are also essential in alerting staff when something has gone wrong and the laboring patient cannot notify nurses themselves, like in the event of an eclamptic seizure or a fainting episode.  Timing is critical in these cases and monitors can be unreliable.

We cannot expect nursing staff, already spread thin, to spend the limitless hours needed with each patient to ensure their health and their baby's health, to provide physical assistance and emotional support. 

We know the hospital system is overwhelmed in this crisis.  However, the burden will only be increased by banning support people from Labor & Delivery. We must ensure no one gives birth alone. We must ensure the maternal mortality rate does not increase during this time.  

Please consider signing this petition if you would like to demonstrate your support of protecting this crucial right that all birthing persons should maintain.