Expecting mothers looking at birth options amid COVID-19 fears

As COVID-19 patients fill hospitals, expecting mothers are looking at their delivery options, including home births.

“There’s a lot of fear out there for these expecting moms with obviously their baby getting it, them themselves getting it, their partners getting it or even if they go to the hospital, whether they even have a partner with them," Certified nurse-midwife Amber Zimmer said.

She said she’s getting more than double the weekly calls from expecting mothers asking if having a home birth is an option due to the fears of the virus. Most are more fearful of having to give birth without their loved ones than getting the virus.

Though Zimmer is able to help some women transition to home birth, not every expecting mother is a good candidate.

“The criteria that I look at is the client by all current scientific, medical and midwifery knowledge and standards has to have an excellent prognosis for a normal healthy pregnancy, birth and postpartum course. And that’s from the American College of Nurse-Midwives,” Zimmer said.

She said unsuitable candidates include expecting mothers at high risk for prematurity, fetal intolerance in labor, substance abuse, twins, unknown breach bases and insulin dependent diabetes.

Wyoming Medical Center said on its website it’s currently limiting expecting mothers to one visitor.