Alfredo da Costa Maternity Hospital (MAC) recorded a weekly average of 442 visits to the emergency service in August, higher than the July average (320) and in line with the figures recorded in August last year (443).
The data was released on Monday by the foundation, which reads “that planned closures of other maternity wards are having the same impact on demand for MAC as they did last year.”
The data also indicates that between last Friday and Sunday, 39 births took place at the MAC, with three postpartum women and their babies being transferred to hospitals in their area of residence. Over the previous weekend (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) there were 47 births and nine postpartum transfers of women and newborns.
In the week between 5 and 11 August, 472 visits were made to the Emergency Service for Obstetrics and Gynaecology (SUGO) and 92 deliveries were performed (405 visits and 97 deliveries in the previous week).
Also according to the document, MAC records a weekly average of 13 births per day in August (15 on weekends). In the same period last year, there were an average of 11 births per day.
Compared to 2019, the year before the pandemic, the data shows there has been a significant increase in care activity, rising from nine births per day at that time to 13 now.
Data released today by the National Institute of Medical Emergencies (INEM) also indicated that three pregnant women were transferred from Beatriz Angelo Hospital, in Loures, to special units over the weekend.
Contacted by Lusa, the local health unit of Loures Odivelas, part of the Beatriz Angelo Hospital, explained that the three pregnant women were transferred to private hospitals, “to meet the need to manage vacancies in the SNS. [Serviço Nacional de Saúde]”
Over the weekend, five gynecology and obstetrics emergency services were closed, most of them in Lisbon and Vale do Tagus.
This week, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, will be the days with the most closed gynecological emergencies (seven in total).
In the hospitals of Santa Maria, in Lisbon, and Garcia de Orta, in Almada, only indicated cases will also be received, that is, those intended for internal emergencies, and cases referred by the Urgent Patient Guidance Centers (CODU) of the National Medical Emergencies Institute (INEM) and via the SNS 24 line.
The SNS Executive Directorate appeals to the population to “always contact the SOS Grávida line [808 24 24 24] Before going to the gynecology emergency service.
