Port Perry New Life Centre pausing regular obstetric service due to COVID-19

DAN CEARNS, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, for The Standard

SCUGOG: Rising cases of COVID-19 have caused Lakeridge Health Port Perry hospital’s New Life Centre to pause baby deliveries there.

“As the pandemic develops, Lakeridge Health has surge capacity plans in place, to ensure we have space to accommodate the increasing COVID-19 and acute care admissions we are seeing in our hospitals. At this time, Lakeridge Health has made the very difficult decision, to temporarily suspend routine obstetrics services at Port Perry Hospital’s New Life Centre. Pregnant patients under the care of Family Medicine at the Port Perry Hospital will be transferred to the care of Family Medicine at the Oshawa Hospital. However, any pregnant patient in North Durham, who needs emergency obstetric care, will still be able to receive care at the Port Perry Hospital,” a press release from Lakeridge Health, sent out on Wednesday, April 14th, explained.

On Monday, April 12th, Dr. Andrea Gauster posted a video on Facebook announcing the temporary interruption.

“It is with our deepest regrets, we have to announce today, effective immediately, we will be unable to provide obstetrical care at Lakeridge Health Port Perry for the next two weeks. The reason for this is, the rising numbers in COVID-19 and the need to convert our labour and delivery ward to a ward for acute care beds. We are very saddened by this news,” she said.

While most deliveries will take place at the Oshawa hospital, Dr. Gauster stated, “if you are about to deliver imminently,” then they will “ensure everything is in place to safely deliver a baby here at Lakeridge Health Port Perry.” But postpartum care will likely continue in Oshawa for these patients.

Lakeridge Health states, the local healthcare team is in the process “of communicating with impacted patients, to provide more information and answer any questions.”