Becky Kealy: HSE Allowance for Partners at Scans Welcome, and Long Overdue
Aontú Rep for Cork North West Becky Kealy has welcomed the long overdue announcement that partners will now be allowed to attend 20-Week Scans, but has emphasised that this needs to be further expanded to include all pregnancy scans.
Becky Kealy:
“The ban on partners being present at the 20-week scan was inhumane and disproportionate. It showed a complete lack of understanding and empathy for pregnant women and denied them the support of their partners at times when they most needed it. Pregnancy scans are daunting and are times of heightened anxiety for expecting mothers. Those scans are majoritively where miscarriages or difficulties during the pregnancy will be discovered. How cruel is it to expect expecting mothers to face this on their own?”
“Renouncing the ban on partners attending scans at 20 weeks is the first step. Now the HSE must rescind the bans on partners attending any and all vital scans during pregnancy. Mothers need the support of their partners, the support of our healthcare system, and the support of their government – that is a universal truth independent of Covid-19 we need to adhere to.”