UPDATE: Saturday, March 28th – Governor Cuomo signed an executive order that permits one healthy support person into the hospital during labor and delivery to support a patient who is giving birth.

Isolating women who are giving birth and banning their partners from experiencing the birth of their child is cruel and unnecessary. Yet this is exactly the policy that two large NYC hospital systems decided to implement in the face of COVID-19 and in opposition to clear guidance from the NYS Department of Health. We can’t practice COVID-19 safety by denying women’s health and well-being in their critical time of need. Especially as hospitals become overwhelmed, individuals in labor are going to need a partner or a support advocate by their side more than ever. Even the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recognizes that continuous support is linked to better outcomes for parent and baby and less interventions during birth. In addition, the World Health Organization states that pregnant patients have a right to high-quality care which includes “having a companion of choice present during delivery”, something that should be available to all women.

Join us to call on NewYork-Presbyterian and Mt. Sinai Health System to fix these mistaken policies NOW, and ask the Mayor and Governor to enforce the guidelines they put in place that enable one support person to be present.

Here’s what you can do:

Sign THIS petition started by a NYC doula to Mayor De Blasio and Governor Cuomo to “Safeguard the right of all laboring people to have support during COVID-19 Crisis.

Tweet at NewYork-Presbyterian and Mt. Sinai Health Systems to fix this policy NOW. Here’s a sample tweet you can use:
Isolating women giving birth & banning partners’ access to the birth of their child is unnecessary. We can’t practice COVID-19 safety by denying women’s health and well-being at this critical time. I call on @nyphospital and @MountSinaiNYC to fix this NOW! @NYCMayor @NYGovCuomo

Share this action far and wide! Mayor De Blasio has expressed concern, and the state’s guidelines do not support this policy.

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