Covid: Cheltenham birth centre may close for up to two months

The birth centre offers birthing pools and low lighting to help promote a natural delivery

A hospital birth centre is to close for up to two months to free up space for non-Covid-19 patients.

The Aveta Birth Centre at Cheltenham General Hospital will be used for cancer surgery, other urgent operations and chemotherapy treatment.

Women booked into the centre will be contacted about which other units they can use, the hospital said.

It added there were "no plans to permanently close the Birth Centre".

The initial closure will run for four weeks but could last for up to eight weeks if pressure on services continues.

The centre has individual rooms with birthing pools, aromatherapy and low lighting to aid a natural birth.

Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust added that similar midwifery-led care is continuing as normal at the trust's other birth units in Stroud and Gloucester.

Women can also choose to have their babies at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital or choose a home birth, the trust added.