Romilda Zarb draws from personal experience in calling for policy reform on neonatal support

Labour MP Romilda Zarb made an appeal for stronger state support for parents of new-borns requiring intensive medical care, sharing her own family's experience and calling for urgent legislative changes to ensure no parent faces critical moments alone.

In a follow-up to a previous parliamentary speech on maternal mental health, Zarb reiterated her call for universal mental health screening during and after pregnancy.

Referring to research by Dr Sarah Xuereb and Dr Ethel Felice, she highlighted how early screening doubled the detection rate of mental health conditions during the perinatal period, from 3% to 6%, underscoring the life-saving potential of such measures.

Moving from policy to the deeply personal, the MP recounted the birth of her son, Nate, who was immediately admitted to the Neonatal and Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (NPICU).

She described the shock and helplessness she and her partner experienced when their new-born was taken from their arms for urgent medical care.

“No one can prepare you for the moment your baby is taken away for treatment,” she said. “Even with a medical background, in that moment, we were just scared, confused and vulnerable parents.”

Zarb expressed gratitude to the NPICU staff, describing them as not only clinical professionals, but pillars who offered guidance, comfort and hope during distressing days.

Drawing from her experience and those of other parents, she outlined systemic shortcomings, including inflexible maternity and paternity leave arrangements. Current entitlements, she argued, do not reflect the realities faced by parents of new-borns in critical care.

She called for reforms inspired by the UK’s Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act 2023, which grants up to 12 additional weeks of paid leave to parents whose babies are admitted to neonatal units. Zarb proposed the introduction of a similar measure in Malta as a universal right beyond the existing parental leave provisions.

“The emotional toll on parents during their time in NPICU is immense,” she said. “While our country has made progress, there remains much to be done, particularly in ensuring psychological support and financial flexibility during such critical periods.”

The MP also called for the introduction of structured psychological support for parents from the earliest days in hospital, noting that up to 40% of parents in similar situations in the UK experience anxiety or PTSD within the first month.

Additionally, she proposed a national peer support programme for parents with shared experiences to offer practical and emotional guidance to others.

“This should not remain just a speech. It must become a national action plan,” she concluded. “A modern and just country does not wait for a crisis to act, but builds policies that match real life. Let us make heartfelt words concrete action.”

The speech marks a renewed call for the government to align family policy with the lived realities of parents and infants undergoing complex and emotional medical journeys — turning empathy into legislation.