Page 49 - Retail Pharmacy Magazine October 2020

PRE AND POSTNATAL 47 check, listening to the baby’s heart ... outweighs the risk of Covid-19 at the moment. Especially with such small community transmission \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\[in some states and territories\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\].” Dr Jacobson added: “Most clinics have instituted CovidSafe changes: decreased face-to-face visits, extensive use of telehealth, virtual antenatal classes, limited or no visitors, Covid screening with questions about exposure risks, health, and temperature testing.” Implementing extra precautions and measures to ensure the safety of patients and staff is also the case at Dr Moffrey’s practice, in line with those mentioned by Dr Jacobson. “In terms of precautions, we’re social distancing – everyone in my practice has to wear a mask, myself and my staff and also the patients,” Dr Moffrey said. “As soon as \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\[patients\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\] walk in, they’re getting their temperature checked, we’re doing social distancing as much as possible. So, in my consulting room, they’re sitting more than two metres away from me. The only time I come within a close distance is for a short period of time to check the baby’s heartbeat. But the rest of the time I’m more than two metres from them, wearing a mask.” Extra planning is also important when it comes to safe delivery during this pandemic. Community pharmacist and master herbalist Gerald Quigley says that while “precautions vary from state to state”, it’s important to be aware of the various requirements, as set out by the hospital, leading into the birth. “In Victoria at the moment, it’s absolutely essential that you’re kept aware of the requirements \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\[leading into the birth\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\] and ... when your pregnancy is almost up, you should have everything ready \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\[such as having a Covid-19 test before going to the hospital to give birth\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\],” he said. “And that’s just common sense, but more important than ever at the moment because you can’t ... if you go into a hospital not having had the Covid-19 test, you’ll be put into the Covid-19 ward and then you’re completely isolated from everyone else.” Deciding on mode of delivery Pregnancy is a time for decisions: baby names, nursery colours and, of course, mode of delivery. Thankfully, while Covid-19 has taken away a lot of our freedoms, when it comes to pregnancy, according to Dr Moffrey “there’s no indication as to changes in delivery mode”. “Even if the mother has Covid-19, they can still choose their mode of delivery,” he said. “\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\[In fact\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\], there’s no better mode of delivery \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\[even\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\] if she’s infected with Covid-19, so that’s totally the mother’s choice.” Dr Moffrey adds that if the mother doesn’t have Covid-19 “there’s not too much difference to normal”. “In certain states, they’re limiting the use of certain things like shower and baths, especially in hotspots like Victoria at the moment, because there TO PAGE 48 RETAIL PHARMACY • OCT 2020