Hospital's birthing unit reopens

The Royal Gwent Hospital serves more than half a million people

A hospital forced to close its doors to women with high-risk pregnancies after its special care baby unit became full is able to admit them once again.

Expectant mothers had been told by the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport they must go to other local hospitals.

A spokesman said on Monday the baby unit now had one cot available, but the situation was being reviewed regularly.

He added the unit had recently experienced a run of multiple births which had taken all the spaces.

The unit had closed late on Friday.

The situation had not affected women with low-risk pregnancies, who were able to have their babies at the Royal Gwent over the weekend.

The spokesman for Gwent Healthcare NHS Trust said very premature babies were requiring much longer stays in special care which has contributed to this problem.

Women were diverted to other local hospitals, mainly Royal Glamorgan near Llantrisant, the Princess of Wales in Bridgend, and Southmead in Bristol.

"We would like to thank neighbouring units for their excellent support over this period," he added.

The hospital, which has more than 3,400 staff and about 770 beds, serves a population of more than 550,000