When observed in a antenatal clinic, for some pregnant women, the doctor reports the need for prenatal treatment or delivery at the observatory. Maternity ward - what is it?
This question worries all women who are shown hospitalization in this department. For some, the word "observation" is associated with some kind of boxing, in which women without a fixed place of residence or suffering from terrible infections lie and give birth.
Maternity hospital structure
Regardless of where the hospital is located, for how many women it is designed for, the internal structure of this medical institution is the same. And it does not matter how many pregnant women the maternity hospital can service, what its equipment is, whether it is a department of a clinical hospital, a perinatal center or an obstetric department of a central district hospital, the principles of the structure are respected. Any maternity hospital includes:
• admission department of the hospital, or sanitary inspection room;
• physiological maternity ward;
• Observation, or observational maternity ward,
• postpartum ward,
• Department of pregnancy pathology,
• separation of newborns.
Maternity Hospital
Maternity ward - what is it?
This second obstetric ward, as it is also called, is similar in structure to a maternity hospital. It contains: an emergency room, or a sanitary inspection room, wards for 1-2 people, a maternity ward with individual boxes, a neonatal unit, an operation unit, and
intensive care wards
. Some large
maternity hospitals as part of the observation have their own laboratory, physiotherapy and diagnostic departments.
Sanitary regime
Many pregnant women are concerned about the question: "The observational department in the hospital - what is this department, how is it arranged, and is there any chance that something will get infected from another woman?" Chambers in the observational department are most often single with a functional bed, changing table, cot for baby and private bathroom. In each observation department, a strict sanitary-hygienic regimen is observed, and the observation department is subject to repeated treatment during the week and three times daily: once with detergents and twice with disinfecting solutions followed by quartz irradiation. Surgical instruments are treated in the ward or in the central sterilization ward. Most hospitals use a disposable tool.
Medical staff puts on a clean or disposable bathrobe, shoes, and mask daily. The mask changes every 4 hours. Shoes are daily treated with disinfectants. Everyone who attends the observation from other departments should change their shoes and put on a disposable bathrobe and mask.
Bed linen is changed 2 times a week. Do not use your own bedding, towels, nightgown and bathrobe.
Once a year, the observational department closes for repairs and planned disinfection.
Indications for the observational department
Pregnant women and women in childbirth, in whom even minor inflammatory and infectious diseases are identified, are placed in the observatory. This is thrush, and carious teeth, and pregnant pyelonephritis, and other diseases. If the carrier of viruses or antibodies to hepatitis B and C is diagnosed, positive blood tests for HIV or syphilis are indicated, treatment in the observational department is also indicated. Pregnant women who were not observed during pregnancy, do not have an exchange card on their hands, or are not fully examined are hospitalized. If the pregnant woman arrives with the departed amniotic fluid and the anhydrous interval is more than 12 hours or there is a fever of unknown etiology, these are also indications for delivery in the observatory.
During pregnancy, some inflammatory diseases can worsen, which poses a risk to the health of the woman and the unborn baby. Such women are referred for treatment to this department. The possibility of infection from another pregnant woman in this department is reduced to zero.
Sometimes after birth, there is metroendometritis, mastitis. These are also indications for hospitalization. Observation is sometimes also called the "infectious ward of the hospital." This is the wrong name, because in these departments pregnant women and women in childbirth are not only with infectious diseases.
Admission Rules
After admission, the doctor examines the exchange card, after checking all the tests, examining the pregnant woman sends it to the observatory. The woman is subjected to sanitary treatment, a nightgown and a bathrobe of this maternity ward are given out. Shoes should be such that they can be easily treated with detergents. Pregnant women are sent to separate wards. If the number of beds in the ward is 2 or 3, then pregnant women with similar diagnoses are placed in them. The tempering women are isolated in individual boxes.
Monitoring of pregnant women and women in labor is carried out around the clock by an obstetrician, a neonatologist and a baby sister. They help the woman to get comfortable in the department, teach the rules of feeding, caring for the child and, if necessary, carry out explanatory work.
Features of childbirth
Who gives birth in the observatory? This issue is decided only by the obstetrician after clarifying the indications for hospitalization at birth. With the onset of labor or upon admission with signs of the onset of labor, the woman is subjected to sanitary treatment and sent to the prenatal ward. There must be at least 2 maternity rooms in the observation.
Childbirth in the observatory is carried out by a whole team of doctors: obstetrician, obstetrician-gynecologist, pediatrician, neonatological sister, anesthetist. At the request of the woman, it is possible to carry out partner birth. In the absence of contraindications, attachment to the chest is carried out in the delivery room.
If, after childbirth, the infection does not harm the baby or the pathogen in the mother’s body is not transmitted through breast milk, then the mother and baby are placed in the same ward, if the woman is after caesarean section and if breastfeeding is contraindicated, the baby is placed in the neonatology ward. In this case, a woman should express milk to prevent mastitis or lactostasis. After further examination of the woman, treatment and recovery after surgery, the baby is placed with her mother.
Any manipulations or surgical intervention are carried out after the written consent of the woman. This rule is also observed when vaccinating a baby.
Extract from the observatory
No one will delay you and your child longer than usual. On the 5th day, all women are prescribed after normal birth. Be sure to conduct control tests of blood, urine, additional studies. If there is an increase in temperature or an exacerbation of chronic diseases, the puerpera can be delayed for 1-2 days with subsequent discharge and the provision of additional recommendations. If necessary, a woman is hospitalized in a higher level maternity hospital or gynecology.
Extract is conducted through the checkout room, which each observation department has.
How not to get to the observatory
Maternity ward - what is it: an isolation ward or an infection ward? This is the same maternity hospital, only it follows all the rules that help isolate a woman with an infectious disease, provide her with the necessary treatment, and give birth with the provision of highly qualified care. Doctors work in this department to help a woman at any stage of pregnancy and during childbirth.
In order not to be in this department you must:
• continuous monitoring in the antenatal clinic from the first weeks of pregnancy;
• strict implementation of the recommendations of your obstetrician-gynecologist;
• a full examination as directed by a doctor;
• timely rehabilitation of foci of infection: caries, pharyngitis, laryngitis, etc .;
• treatment of chronic diseases;
• prevention of acute respiratory viral infections and other colds;
• proper nutrition;
• vitamin therapy courses;
• restorative treatment.
Pregnant women need less attendance at crowded establishments, especially during epidemics, and if not possible, wear a mask and not communicate with patients.