#IamMGH Mother's Day Edition – Meet Dr. Jennifer Cram

#IamMGH tells the story of our people. Meet Dr. Jennifer Cram, chief of obstetrics and gynecology, at Michael Garron Hospital (MGH). This Mother’s Day, Dr. Cram is at home figuring out creative ways to be active safely with her two boys and husband. However, she has spent the last ten weeks reviewing the latest evidence on COVID-19 and pregnancy from around the world to help update the hospital’s practices and ensure patients who give birth or who are seeking reproductive care, are taken care of.

Every aspect of the Family Birthing Centre has been reviewed with a new lens of infection prevention and control in the context of COVID-19.  “We’ve made changes to basically everything we do. Some of the changes are behind the scenes, like how we set up the operating room for caesarean sections, and some that families will notice the difference,” Dr. Cram explains.   

“We’re going to ask a lot of questions about what symptoms patients may have multiple times throughout their stay with us. This is to ensure that we keep patients and our staff safe if new symptoms develop. It’s really important that patients share these symptoms with us, even if they are very mild.”

The faces of healthcare team members may be a little harder to see because of the personal protective equipment (PPE) worn. “Although what we’re wearing may be different, what we’re doing is largely the same,” says Dr. Cram.  All members of the healthcare teams at MGH are wearing face masks and eye protection during their interactions with patients. “Patients and their partners will also be asked to wear a mask at various times,” Dr. Cram adds.

The team understands that many families have more questions and anxieties about COVID-19 and visiting the hospital. “The good news is that being pregnant does not carry increased risk for COVID-19 and babies who have contracted the disease are faring quite well,” she says. 

“We want families to take comfort in the precautions we’ve put in place on the Family Birthing Centre and know that we’ll do everything to make you feel comfortable and safe during the your time in hospital.”