How to Access Reproductive Health Services During a Pandemic
Keeping safe during a pandemic raises many questions about when and when to see a doctor, and if so, what additional steps patients need to take to stay safe. Office visits are now complicated by both the risk of contracting COVID-19 and the need to balance the needs of an overburdened healthcare system.
This includes access to reproductive health services. We were able to contact Jennifer L. Stanley , MD, board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist at Houston Methodist Hospital , via email to answer some of our questions.
“Our number one priority right now is to provide the care you need while keeping you safe and minimizing your risk of contracting COVID-19,” Stanley says.
Prenatal care
Pregnancy is a time when patients visit a doctor frequently. For a healthy pregnancy, 10-15 visits are typical.
Many obstetricians / gynecologists across the country have made changes to accomplish this task, such as moving to telemedicine visits, ”Stanley says. “With telemedicine, we can significantly reduce that number in our healthy pregnant patients.”
Thus, for patients with no health problems, this means that some of the visits to the doctor will be done by telephone.
On the other hand, patients with complications such as high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, or preeclampsia require more visits. It remains vital for them to continue talking to their doctor and receive regular help.
“One of our top priorities is to keep our pregnant patients safe by eliminating the risk of contracting the virus,” Stanley said. This includes using telemedicine when needed and minimizing the risks of unavoidable office visits. Such measures include screening for symptoms beforehand, as well as changing the way the office manages patient flow to ensure proper physical distancing.
Please be aware that we are in a rapidly changing situation, so recommendations may change every week or even day. This makes it doubly important to call ahead of the scheduled time and ask questions about what actions you and your service provider need to take to stay safe.
When it comes to childbirth, hospitals take various measures to reduce the risk of infection. It is extremely important to talk to your doctor about what they will look like and plan accordingly. Some questions to ask include whether a birth partner or doula is allowed in the delivery room, what procedures in hospitals are used to screen patients who may be infected with COVID-19, and procedures to keep mothers and newborns out of common the population of the hospital.
IUD or implant removal
For patients who are scheduled to have their IUD or contraceptive implant removed, the good news is that the procedure can wait.
“There are no direct risks associated with delayed IUD or implant removal,” Stanley said. “These devices are made from materials that do not harm our body.” The biggest risk of delaying removal is pregnancy. If the implant is past its expiration date, it is advised to postpone removal when using a back-up birth control method such as condoms.
Access to contraception
Contraceptives such as pills, patches, or Nuvaring can be made available through telemedicine. “There are several contraceptive options available at your local pharmacy and can usually be prescribed after a quick telemedicine visit with your obstetrician / gynecologist,” Stanley said. Attending telemedicine can be as simple as a phone call or video chat, with no personal visit required.
There are also services like Nurx that will mail your prescriptions to you, while a number of pharmacies also offer prescription delivery as an option.
Access to abortion
Both Ohio and Texas – states that have already imposed significant restrictions on abortion – have used the pandemic as a rationale to end abortion, claiming they were considered electoral procedures. Planned Parenthood, along with other Texas abortion providers, is challenging the Texas decision in a lawsuit .
“The priority of parenting planning health centers is to ensure that everyone can access essential health care while maintaining the necessary resources,” said Alexis McGill-Johnson, acting president and CEO of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, during a press conference March 25.
As the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists said in a statement : “Abortion is an essential component of comprehensive health care. It is also a temporary service, for which a delay of several weeks, and in some cases even days, can increase the risks or potentially make it completely unavailable. The consequences of the inability to have an abortion strongly affect the life, health and well-being of a person. “
If a patient wants a safe and affordable abortion, the options may be more limited, but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist. The first step is to contact your local parenting planning office to evaluate your options. Currently, medical offices have been opened under the Planned Parenthood program, in which new precautions have been taken to preserve the health of patients. Your options may differ depending on where you are, and going to a clinic is the best way to get the most up-to-date information.
Access to healthcare in a rapidly changing environment
Every day of this health crisis brings change and new challenges. Recommendations can change over time and as the situation develops. For this reason, the most important advice is to talk to your doctor so you can stay on top of their strategies to minimize exposure and continue to provide you with the health care you need.