Being pregnant can be stressful under normal circumstances not to mention a pandemic situation. None of the expectant mothers wants to get sick during her pregnancy, especially not by COVID-19. So, it’s understandable if you feel worried about the virus. But what does happen if she became infected with coronavirus?
Don’t freak out! Relationship between pregnancy and coronavirus
The virus, originated in Wuhan, China, has rapidly spread across the globe and infected many people. Although there are some pregnant women who have already had the coronavirus infection, but there is still limited knowledge about the effects of COVID-19 during pregnancy. The reason behind the little experience can be that pregnant women do not belong to the endangered age, so there are not much infected expectant mums. So, scientists have been collecting the data to learn more about the coronavirus’ effects on pregnant mothers. Here we collected the main results, we already have in this topic.
International experience shows that in case of healthy mothers, there is no elevated risk of coronavirus in pregnancy. What is more, the virus is not as critical for pregnant woman as we imagine. WHO observed 147 expectant women from whom 64 were confirmed the infection of coronavirus while 82 were suspected cases and there was one asymptomatic case. The observation showed that 8% had severe symptoms and 1% were critically ill. So, cases indicate that expectant mothers most often produce mild to moderate symptoms and do not seem to experience more severe illness from COVID-19 than the general population. This is also proved by the study of The New England Journal of Medicine in which 215 mums-to-be were examined. 88% of the pregnant women who had positive test of coronavirus did not show any sympthoms. Furthermore, you shouldn’t worry, because increased risks of miscarriage or fetal malformations haven’t been documented in COVID-19 infected expectants according to CDC (Centers of Diseases, USA).
Can I pass the virus to my fetus or newborn?
Don’t worry! According to the latest results there is no evidence for the relationship between the infected mum and her fetus or newborn. In the Lancet a study was published in which 9 pregnant women were observed in Wuhan, China. Scientists recognized that at the time of the birth (via cesarean) all of the infants were healthy and there was no indication of the virus in the mother’s breast milk, cord blood or amniotic fluid. We find it important to mention that according to WHO’s statements the method of childbirth is not affected by whether the mother is infected. So, just because she is infected does not require a cesarean section to be performed by doctors. Furthermore, doctors suggest not to separate the newborns from their coronavirus positive mum because it can be harmful on both the baby and the mummy.
What is more, Prof Russell Viner (president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health) highlighted the benefits of breastfeeding during the pandemic as well: “There is also limited evidence about the transmission of coronavirus through breast milk – and based on what we know now, we feel the benefits of breastfeeding outweigh any potential risks.”. However, as a precaution, it is recommended to you to wash your hands before feeding your baby and to use a mask during breast-feeding if you are a coronavirus infected mother.
How can I prevent the coronavirus diesel?
The most important thing is prevention. The same guidelines apply to pregnant women as to non-pregnant women. We recommend to practice social distancing and follow an excellent hand hygiene. Furthermore, cough and sneeze in hanky, then throw it away.
According to the pregnancy care, it is advisable to discuss a pre-booked or scheduled appointment with your doctor and to attend only mandatory ultrasound and screening tests. For other questions, it is better to ask your midwife for a telephone consultation.
In summary, there is no need to panic, because studies show that this disease is not as dangerous to fetuses and newborns, so everything should be fine with your birth and baby. Just follow the rules of hygiene! If you liked this article follow us on Facebook as well and don’t miss out our interesting topics.
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