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To: Minister for COVID Response
Emergency MIQ entry for pregnant couples to birth safely in New Zealand
Recognise pregnancy as a critical health priority so that New Zealand citizens and permanent residents and their partners can obtain emergency MIQ spaces immediately, enabling them return to NZ for antenatal care, birth, and postpartum care.
Why is this important?
Pregnant women and their unborn children are being put at risk because MIQ emergency allocation request guidelines do not address pregnancy needs. Very few get access to return to NZ. It has been reported that of 229 applications for pregnancy only 23 were approved.(1)
We believe it is essential that pregnant people and their partners can return to NZ for antenatal, birth, and postpartum care, and that their health requirements be recognised as critical. Approaching birthing solo without the support of whānau, especially the other parent, is extremely stressful for pregnant people.
Having to wait until you are heavily pregnant to return to New Zealand creates an added risk to both mother and baby.
There are a number of cases where we’ve managed to get access to MIQ for pregnant people or their partners but it should not be left to individual advocacy. The New Zealand government must recognise and support the rights of pregnant people and ensure they can safely return home to birth their children.
You can read more about this issue in the links below:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/126612589/pregnancy-should-be-a-miq-priority-because-stress-endangers-the-baby-sir-peter-gluckman-says
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/first-up/audio/2018816139/father-of-prem-baby-applies-for-emergency-miq
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/127001444/miqsplit-couple-reunited-but-too-late-for-babys-sudden-and-traumatic-birth
Reference:
1. https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/126598255/how-will-i-manage-pregnant-womans-fears-after-husbands-miq-denial