Question: Will I still be able to make my own decisions regarding childbirth during the coronavirus pandemic?

Answer passage (source: UK):
page_title: Coronavirus infection and pregnancy
section_headers: Information for all pregnant women about childbirth choices and birth partners during the coronavirus pandemic
Q. Who should care for my other children when I go into hospital for labour and birth?
section_content: Government guidelines recommend that guidelines on social distancing should be
followed by everybody in the UK wherever possible. It is reasonable to leave
the home when you need to do so for a medical reason (i.e. attending a clinic
appointment or attending the maternity unit to have your baby). It is
important that you are supported by a well birth partner when attending the
maternity unit for the birth of the baby; however, your other children must
not go with you into the maternity unit. If this means that there is nobody
else available at home to care for your other children, then it is necessary
for the children to be cared for by another close family member or friend.
Please discuss this with the chosen person in advance. When choosing another
person to care for your children in this situation, please do not ask somebody
who is vulnerable to the severe effects of coronavirus (e.g. people over the
age of 70, other pregnant women or individuals with significant medical
problems). Also, please make a back-up plan, in the case the person you had
planned to ask is self-isolating because either they, or someone else in their
home, are unwell with coronavirus when you need them.

Reviewer feedback on this answer:
This is regarding one decision that can't be accommodated (having other children with the mother at childbirth), but doesn't really address any other issues.
This only discusses making a prebirth plan for your children and not birthing decisions.

Reviewer ratings:
Could be Improved
Bad

Answer passage (source: UK):
page_title: Coronavirus infection and pregnancy
section_headers: Information for all pregnant women about childbirth choices and birth partners during the coronavirus pandemic
Q. Will my birth partner be able to stay with me if I have a caesarean or instrumental birth that occurs in an operating theatre?
section_content: We fully support women having their birth partners with them during labour and
birth, unless they are unwell, when an alternative well birth partner can
attend.
Around one in four women in the UK has a caesarean birth. A caesarean may be
recommended as a planned (elective) procedure for medical reasons or as an
emergency – for example, if doctors and midwives are concerned that your baby
is not coping with labour and needs to be born immediately.
Furthermore, around one in five women in the UK has an instrumental birth
(ventouse or forceps). Some of these types of birth may also be recommended to
occur in an operating theatre in order to allow the maternity team to modify
plans and undertake a caesarean birth if necessary.
Most caesareans and instrumental births in theatre are carried out under
spinal or epidural anaesthetic, which means you’ll be awake, but the lower
part of your body is numb and you cannot feel any pain. In this situation,
everything will be done by the clinical staff – midwives, obstetricians and
anaesthetists – to keep your birth partner with you.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, staff in the operating theatre will be
wearing enhanced personal protective equipment (PPE) to prevent the spread of
infection, which will make it more difficult for them to communicate. To
enable the clinicians to assist in the birth of your baby safely, it’s really
important your birth partner follows the instructions from the maternity team
carefully and quickly.
Occasionally, a general anaesthetic (where you’re put to sleep) may be used,
particularly if your baby needs to be born urgently. During this type of
caesarean birth, even under more usual circumstances, for safety reasons it is
not possible for the birth partner to be present during the birth.
While the maternity team will do all they can to ensure that your birth
partner is present for the birth, there will be some occasions when there is a
need for an urgent emergency birth with epidural or spinal anaesthetic, and it
will not be possible for your birth partner to be present. This is because,
during an emergency, operating theatres are more high-risk environments in
terms of potential spread of coronavirus to everyone who is present.
If it is the case that your birth partner will not be able to be present
during the birth, your maternity team will explain this to you and will do
everything they can to ensure that your birth partner can see you and your
baby as soon as possible after the birth.

Reviewer feedback on this answer:
This offers some guidance about what choices you can make around being awake and having a partner there, but doesn't discuss following a birth plan or what choices specifically will not be available because of the virus.
This outlines several different types of childbirth and whether birth partners are allowed in the birthing room. It gives what is or is not allowed.

Reviewer ratings:
Could be Improved
Acceptable

Answer passage (source: UK):
page_title: Coronavirus infection and pregnancy
section_headers: Information for all pregnant women about childbirth choices and birth partners during the coronavirus pandemic
Q. Will my childbirth choices be affected by the coronavirus pandemic?
section_content: We understand this must be a stressful and anxious time if you are pregnant
and due to give birth in the coming months. Maternity units everywhere are
working around the clock right now to manage additional pressures and
facilitate women’s choices.
Like all areas of NHS care, maternity services will be affected by the
pandemic but units are working to ensure services are provided in a way that
is safe, with the levels of staff that are needed and the ability to provide
emergency care where necessary.
If you have chosen to give birth at home or in a midwife-led unit that is not
co-located with an obstetric unit, it is worth noting that these services rely
on the availability of ambulance services to allow for rapid transfer to
hospital, and the right number of staff to keep you safe. If these are not in
place, it is possible that your Trust or Board may not be able to provide
these services.

Reviewer feedback on this answer:
This directly states that they are working to facilitate women's choices as much as possible while keeping everyone safe.
This explains in detail about how mothers can make their own decisions regarding how they want to give birth (e.g., in the hospital, or at home with a midwife). It is somewhat general in stating that NHS is working to accommodate the choices.

Reviewer ratings:
Acceptable
Acceptable