Birth during lockdown: A couple's journey

Since Italy enforced severe nationwide lockdown measures on March 8, the couple slowly came to the understanding that this time would be very different to deliver their third child. The birthing center Emanuela delivered her previous child in was closed and re-directed to help San Martino hospital, the regional hub for handling COVID-19 mothers-to-be. She then opted to have her at the Giannina Gaslini Institute, northern Italy's largest children hospital which also has a maternity ward.

Genoa:Emanuela Oliva and Alessio Giubertoni, from the Italian town of Rapallo, were planning to have their third child exactly the way they had their second: in water, in an alternative birthing center, with a private room so that they could be together and loved ones could visit.

But the coronavirus pandemic meant this was not to be.

Since Italy enforced severe nationwide lockdown measures on March 8, they slowly came to the understanding that this time would be very different.

The birthing center Emanuela delivered her previous child in was closed and re-directed to help San Martino hospital, the regional hub for handling COVID-19 mothers-to-be.

The 36-year-old fitness and swimming instructor then opted to have her at the Giannina Gaslini Institute, northern Italy's largest children hospital which also has a maternity ward.

Gaslini Institute is the largest hospital in the whole of northern Italy and its neonatology and perinatal pathology is its flagship department.

At Giannina Gaslini Institute, mothers-to-be are being tested for coronavirus multiple times to reduce risks for them and their babies.

Tests are arranged to have results before a baby is born and a few hours after the baby is born, which is crucial for them to decide how to care for the baby.

Oliva tested negative for COVID-19, so would be able to have the baby at the Gaslini, rather than being transferred to San Martino hospital, but still, the pandemic meant this time she would have to go it alone.

Due to anti-COVID measures, women across the region are not allowed to be accompanied by partners or loved ones as they deliver.

Given the women are often going through childbirth without their families nearby, doctors are aware that their role goes way beyond medical tasks.

"From a medical standpoint, it is extremely important to make the patient feel safe because the patients are scared, they fear for their health and especially for that of their child," says Director of Gynaecology, Marco Adriano.

Its director, Luca Ramenghi told that on top of looking after the emergency, he's also looking ahead.

"We do not know yet the effects of very early infection on pregnant women, and maybe we have to consider if there could be a risk to have more premature babies, the mother has a longer time to be unwell due to an infection, so it's again something we probably will learn," he says.

The emergency also means hospitals in the region are joining forces to fight the epidemic.

If a woman due to deliver tests positive at Gaslini, she would be taken to San Martino hospital, which has the facilities to handle those deliveries.

Doctor Claudio Gustavino, the director of gynecology at San Martino said he and his staff have handled about 30 cases as of mid-April, most of them successfully.

In one case though, a mother with severe COVID-19 symptoms had to give birth prematurely and her child was sent to Gaslini Institute's perinatal pathology ward.

Gustavino and his staff are experiencing first hand the challenges of handling deliveries by COVID-19 patients, both in terms of the health risks and the necessity, at times, to temporarily separate mothers from their newborn babies.

Gustavino is also behind a service allowing fathers to assist their partners, both COVID-19 positive and negative via video call as they're giving birth.

The first one to avail of the service was 32-year-old Aldo Marubbio, who watched the birth of his daughter, Emilia, via a tablet.

Aldo watched and supported his wife Laura via video call from his car parked outside the ward.

To be able to be there somehow was the best thing in the world, he says.

(With inputs from AP)