Petition · past parliament
Protect the right to have a birth partner during COVID-19
Rejected
15 signatures
What the petition asks
Hospitals are not allowing birthing partners during Covid19.Women should still be allowed 1 birthing partner (from the same household).Pregnancy can be stressful & filled with anxiety at the best of times.There will be an increase in PND in both women & men & possible other longterm repercussions.
The Labour/birth is just as important for fathers.its important whether your a first time parent or not, because every tiny aspect is cherished for the rest of your life's.if they are from the same household, they bare no risk to the mother or baby as will be discharged into their care. The risks to staff are minimal or just the same as having the expectant mother present.
Mothers should be allowed that support and comfort from someone they know and trust but also for any worse case scenarios
Mothers should be allowed that support and comfort from someone they know and trust but also for any worse case scenarios
Why it was rejected
It asked for something that is not the responsibility of the UK Government or Parliament.
Decisions about whether birth partners are permitted to attend a birth is a matter for individual hospitals and NHS trusts, and not the Government or House of Commons.
The NHS has published guidance on intrapartum maternity care which states that women should have access to one birth partner during labour, provided they are asymptomatic: https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2020/04/C0241-specialty-guide-intrapartum-maternity-care-9-april-2020.pdf
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has also produced gudiance which states that women should be able to have a birth partner present during labour and birth: https://www.rcog.org.uk/en/guidelines-research-services/guidelines/coronavirus-pregnancy/covid-19-virus-infection-and-pregnancy/#choices
It is an operational decision for individual hospitals and NHS trusts how to implement this guidance.
You can find out more about coronavirus and how you can protect yourself and others here:
www.gov.uk/coronavirus
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
The Government has also created an online service to help you out what you can do if you’re struggling because of coronavirus: https://www.gov.uk/find-coronavirus-support
You can read NHS tips to help if you are worried about coronavirus here: https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/coronavirus-covid-19-anxiety-tips
You can read impartial analysis of the Government response to coronavirus and policy developments here: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/coronavirus/
You may also be interested to know that because of the large number of petitions that have been started in relation to coronavirus, the Petitions Committee has been questioning the Government about its response to the coronavirus outbreak.
Find out more and watch the Committee put questions suggested by petitioners to Government Ministers and the Deputy Chief Medical Officer: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/news/145767/committee-question-deputy-chief-medical-officer-and-ministers-on-coronavirus-response/
Read letters asking further questions of Government Ministers: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/publications/3/correspondence/
The NHS has published guidance on intrapartum maternity care which states that women should have access to one birth partner during labour, provided they are asymptomatic: https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2020/04/C0241-specialty-guide-intrapartum-maternity-care-9-april-2020.pdf
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has also produced gudiance which states that women should be able to have a birth partner present during labour and birth: https://www.rcog.org.uk/en/guidelines-research-services/guidelines/coronavirus-pregnancy/covid-19-virus-infection-and-pregnancy/#choices
It is an operational decision for individual hospitals and NHS trusts how to implement this guidance.
You can find out more about coronavirus and how you can protect yourself and others here:
www.gov.uk/coronavirus
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
The Government has also created an online service to help you out what you can do if you’re struggling because of coronavirus: https://www.gov.uk/find-coronavirus-support
You can read NHS tips to help if you are worried about coronavirus here: https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/coronavirus-covid-19-anxiety-tips
You can read impartial analysis of the Government response to coronavirus and policy developments here: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/coronavirus/
You may also be interested to know that because of the large number of petitions that have been started in relation to coronavirus, the Petitions Committee has been questioning the Government about its response to the coronavirus outbreak.
Find out more and watch the Committee put questions suggested by petitioners to Government Ministers and the Deputy Chief Medical Officer: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/news/145767/committee-question-deputy-chief-medical-officer-and-ministers-on-coronavirus-response/
Read letters asking further questions of Government Ministers: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/publications/3/correspondence/
Timeline
| 22 Apr 2020 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 18 May 2020 | Rejected by the Petitions Committee |
Key facts
Signatures
15
Status
Rejected
Rejected
18 May 2020
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.