(Yicai Global) April 4 -- A number of maternity hospitals in Shanghai, which specialize in caring for women during pregnancy and childbirth, have moved some examinations, including fetal heart rate monitoring, and consultations online to ensure safe medical services during the recent lockdown amid the resurgence of Covid-19 cases in the city.

Shanghai’s Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital under Shanghai Jiaotong University’s School of Medicine is using the ‘fifth-generation network + remote maternal and fetal caring system’ which was built in July last year to allow doctors to remotely monitor the status of the fetus for women under quarantine to reduce the risk of critical illness for pregnant women and their fetuses.

Shanghai has been severely hit by a wave of Covid-19 cases since the beginning of last month, so it implemented a two-phase lockdown from March 28 to tomorrow. The city, which has a population of over 24 million, reported 425 new domestically transmitted #COVID19 cases and 8,581 asymptomatic infections yesterday, local health authorities said today.

“Every hospital faces pressures under the pandemic,” said Cheng Weiwei, director of IPMCH. “For example, there may be too many tasks, while the number of staff members sharply declined.” Some employees, including Cheng, have been living in the hospital to ensure its normal operation and provide medical supplies to patients since the city announced lockdown measures.

IPMCH also offers medical services such as online consultation and outpatient assistance, as pregnant women may not be able to go to the hospital in time for check-ups and worry about their health. It also provides drug delivery services.

The hospital opened 16 departments and assembled a specialist team to answer questions online from pregnant women and patients. It set up an emergency help channel for expectant mothers as well.

Moreover, IPMCH created 36 WeChat groups for pregnant women so that doctors can answer their questions to relieve their anxiety, Cheng said. The most common questions are: “My baby will come soon but I have not a nucleic acid testing result within 48 hours, what should I do?” “Can the hospital receive a pregnant woman under obstetric emergency if she lives in a community under quarantine?”

Editor: Futura Costaglione