Joan Rikli, MBA, MSN, RN, Jerasimos Ballas, MD, MPH, Dionne WIlson, CAE, Kristy Love

As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to shape all our lives, those who provide care to pregnant patients, their families, and newborns face a challenging task. We are entrusted with the responsibility of formulating new policies for childbirth and newborn care in the midst of a dynamic public health crisis. So how do you create evidence-based guidelines when the evidence is evolving?

Parents and providers get new data every day and the information we need to make informed decisions is ever-changing. This not only poses significant challenges in creating a safe environment for patients and first line healthcare workers, but also in maintaining the highest standards of ethical and compassionate care at such a potentially vulnerable time for both parents and newborns.

The National Perinatal Association (NPA) and National Association of Neonatal Nurses (NANN) recognize these unique challenges and offer guidance in creating a culture of shared decision-making when providers must deliver the newborn of a Covid-19+ mother or when the mother is a Patient Under Investigation (PUI).

Drawing from the multidisciplinary experience of our organizations, we have created a Joint Position Statement addressing the need to balance evidence-based practices for both infection control and protection of healthcare providers with the established benefit of newborn bonding and breastfeeding in the 4th trimester.

With information changing rapidly as more data is collected, we acknowledge the potential for policy changes based on institutional constraints and regional developments. However, any policy must start with the dignity of the patient at its core and aspire to do no harm as we all navigate these challenging and uncertain times.

Disclosure: The National Perinatal Association www.nationalperinatal.org is a 501c3 organization that provides education and advocacy around issues affecting the health of mothers, babies, and families.