Updated Thursday May 21 2020
OUR PHONE NUMBER HAS NOT CHANGED - IT IS STILL 250-314-2782.
Please use this number for all TRFO questions and appointment bookings.
TRFO now has a formal website - www.trfoclinic.com . This website contains all the below information, as well as general pregnancy and labor information, resources for pregnancy, and breastfeeding information.
The team at TRFO understands that this is an uncertain and anxiety-inducing time. This page has been set up to provide you with information specific to your care with the clinic and COVID-19 related information for pregnancy.
Clinic Visits:
At this time, we are trying to limit in-person visits to reduce the risks of exposure to COVID-19. Our team is continuing to work together and with our Obstetrician colleagues to determine how best to provide ongoing care.
Part of this will include reduced frequency of contact/visits. You will have a minimum of five in-person visits during your pregnancy. You will have phone appointments between these in-person appointments. Depending on how your pregnancy is progressing and any risk factors, you may have additional in-person appointments. The current plan for the timing of in-person visits is:
- First Prenatal visit with clinic
- 20-26 weeks
- 30-34 weeks
- 36-38 weeks
- 39-40 week
As of March 25, 2020, we have temporarily moved TRFO to Orchards Walk Clinic.
The address is 3200 Valleyview Drive, next to Pharmasave.
Our phone number has not changed: 250-314-2782
We are hoping to return to our hospital clinic location for June 1 - please continue to check your text message reminders to confirm your appointment location.
Orchard’s walk Clinic is a 15 minute drive from Royal Inland Hospital. There is free parking.
Please stay in your car until your appointment time.
If travel to the clinic is a problem, please let us know.
If necessary, you may bring only 1 support person to these visits.
If you have ANY respiratory symtpoms (including cough, fever, or shortness of breath OR you have been in contact with anyone with COVID-19 or is presumed to have COVID-19, please DO NOT attend your appointment at Orchard's Walk. Please call us and we will make arrangements for an appointment at an alternate appointment.
Risks of COVID-19 In Pregnancy
There have been cases of COVID-19 in pregnancy already. These women have not had more serious illnesses than anyone else with the infection.
It is thought that pregnant woman may be at higher risk for complications of the infection, just as they are at higher risk for complications of any respiratory infection. This is because of the changes to the immune system and the body that occur during pregnancy. The most common complication for mothers has been mild to moderate pneumonia. The most common complication for babies has been preterm birth.
There are no cases of transmission of COVID-19 from mother to baby before birth. COVID-19 has not been found in the amniotic fluid, on the placenta, or in the breastmilk of pregnant women with COVID-19. You may have heard of the case in London where a newborn tested positive shortly after birth - the doctors and researchers involved in this case believe the infection occurred very shortly after delivery; the mother was known to have COVID-19.
We do not have any information yet on the effects of COVID-19 in the early stages of pregnancy. Any fever during the first trimester can put a pregnancy at higher risk
of fetal malformations. Treat any fever
with acetaminophen (Tylenol) and call your health care provider for advice if
you have a fever.
Breastmilk from mothers with COVID-19 has consistently tested negative for the virus - it does not seem that COVID-19 can be transmitted in breastmilk. It is still important for mothers with COVID-19 or respiratory symptoms to practice frequent hand washing and they would wear a mask while breastfeeding.
Pregnant women should take extra care in social distancing and hand washing to reduce their risks of exposure and infection.
Pregnant Health Care Workers
As of now (March 20, 2020) there is no specific recommendations for pregnant health care providers to be off work or alter their duties due to COVID-19. This may change in the coming days to weeks as more information becomes available. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have suggested that if staffing permits, we should consider limiting exposure of pregnant health care workers to confirmed or suspected COVID-19 (ACOG Practice Advisory).
If you have concerns about working while pregnant, please speak with the clinic doctor so we can support you in this.
Postpartum Period
The best way to protect you and your baby is to practice social distancing. We understand how difficult this may be to not have the support of family and friends during this period.
We encourage you to use other forms of communication including social media and face time to keep in touch with family and friends.
We will plan to have more phone visits with you than we normally would to ensure you feel supported.
If You Have a Cough, Fever, Shortness of Breath or Other Respiratory Symptoms (stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat):
- If your symptoms are severe (chest pain, trouble breathing at rest), call 911 or come directly to the hospital
- If you are not coming in an ambulance, someone should drive you and should call the hospital to let them know you are coming with possible COVID-19 symptoms
- They will have a separate triage system set up for these symptoms
- If your symptoms are not severe, complete the online COVID screening tool - https://covid19.thrive.health/ for further instructions
- There is a long wait time on 811 calls but we encourage you to wait on the line to speak to a screening officer
- You may also call your family physician or the TRFO clinic during working hours
- Please keep in mind that a doctor may not be able to speak to you immediately, but our office staff is trained in the screening procedures
- Most people will not require a test for COVID-19 at this time but will be asked to self-isolate
If You Have Traveled Out of Country in the Last 14 Days, Live with Someone Who Has, or Live With/Care for Someone With COVID-19 or Respiratory Symptoms
- If you have traveled out of country in the last 14 days, you will need to remain in self-isolation for 14 days
- If you have no respiratory (cough or cold) symptoms or fever during this time, you may resume normal activities with ongoing social distancing
- If you live with someone who has traveled out of country in the last 14 days, they should be self-isolating within the home
- If you cannot remain isolated from each other in the home, everyone in the household should be in self-isolation together until 14 days from the time the traveler has returned to the home
- If you are caring for someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or has respiratory symptoms, you should remain on self-isolation until 14 days after their symptoms have fully resolved
Changes to the Labor and Delivery/Post-Partum Wards:
Royal Inland Hospital and Interior Health have put visitor restrictions into place. This allows only one visitor/support person to accompany you to the hospital and to your delivery.
- This means you will NOT be able to have both your support person and a doula. You will only be allowed to have one family member/support person in the room.
We are aware that this may be frustrating, saddening, and anxiety-producing for many people to not be able to have all desired people at their delivery or visiting them on the postpartum ward. This was a difficult but necessary decision to protect you, your baby, and everyone else in the hospital.
- If you need to come to Labor and Delivery and you have respiratory symptoms, please call first; wash your hands and put on a mask as soon as you enter the hospital. Your support person should do the same.
- If your desired support person has any respiratory symptoms (cough, sneezing, stuffy/runny nose, sore throat, fever), or if they have traveled in the last 14 days, they will not be able to come into the hospital or delivery room with you.
We again recognize that this is unwelcome news to our patients, but it is critical for protecting you and your baby's health and that of your care providers, as well as other patients.
- Entonox (nitrous oxide, laughing gas) is not available for use during labor at this time. This is because of the risk of creating aerosol particles that have a very high risk of spreading respiratory infection
What You Can Do - To Help Monitor Your Healthy Pregnancy:
- Continue to eat a balanced diet
- Continue gentle physical activity
- Be aware of fetal movement and how to perform fetal kick counts
- You should notice your baby moving regularly throughout the day
- If you think your baby is not moving as much as usual in the last 12 hours, do a fetal kick count
- Lay comfortably on your side, with your hands on your belly
- Set a timer for 2 hours and start counting how many movements you feel
- Once you get to six (6) movements, you can stop counting
- If you reach 2 hours and have not felt six movements, call labor and delivery and prepare to come in for an assessment
- Be aware of your mental and emotional well-being; take steps to support yourself and reach out for more support when you need it
- If it is possible for you, you and your partner/support person should start self-isolation 14 days prior to your due date
- This will ensure that both of you are healthy at the time of delivery and can attend the birth and post-partum ward without restrictions
What You Can Do - To Reduce Your Risk of Infection:
- Wash your hands! This is the number one intervention to limit the spread of COVID-19 and other illnesses
- Wash your hands for 20 seconds with soap and water, including between the fingers, the back of the hands, and the fingernails
- Hand washing should be performed at these times:
- Touch your face or mouth
- Cough, sneeze, or blow your nose
- After using the washroom
- Before and after food preparation/eating
- Before and after changing a diaper
- Going into/coming out of a store (carry alcohol-based hand sanitizer with you)
- Helping your child or anyone else with the above tasks
- Hand sanitizer can be used when your hands are not visibly dirty or you have not touched bodily fluids
- Practice social distancing
- See the Canada Public Health page on social distancing for details
- Avoid contact with anyone who has traveled in the last 14 days and has not completed their self-isolation period
- Stay up to date with recommendations for travel and isolation - use official sources like the BC Center for Disease Control, the Interior Health News site, and the Public Health Agency of Canada
We are striving to keep this site up-to-date as the situation changes and communicate this information to our patients as quickly as we can. Thank you for your patience and understanding at this uncertain time.