Managing COVID-19 & Pregnancy

COVID-19 is a respiratory virus. This virus is part of the coronavirus family, which is actually a collection of different viruses. Some of these related viruses are SARS-COV and MERS-COV. These two viruses are now under control, but it took time to understand them and how to combat them. COVID-19 is the latest coronavirus and affects the human respiratory system. The known symptoms are difficulty breathing, coughing, and fever.

It is mainly believed that COVID-19 is spread from person to person by respiratory droplets through coughing and sneezing. This virus gains entrance into your body by contact with your eyes, nose, and mouth. Based on a new study COVID-19 can also live on surfaces and in an aerosolized form anywhere from a few hours to a few days, although those time frames could change as we gather more data.

Many pregnant women worry that Covid-19 will be passed to their child, or that their pregnancy makes them more likely to become sick. A lot of misinformation on this topic is being spread across social media and other corners of the internet. The CDC has said that it’s just too soon to make any concrete statements. In a few cases, women with COVID-19 have been documented to have pregnancy problems and preterm births, but the CDC has assured that it’s too soon to say if the two are actually related. What they do know is that it’s important to make sure you protect yourself. How can you do that? You can cover your coughs with your elbow, keep a six-foot distance from others when you are in public, avoid those who are sick, wash your hands, and avoid touching your face. It’s important to limit stress and worries as much as possible while pregnant for your own health and the development of your baby.

The best way to protect your newborn is to keep yourself clean and maintain a clean environment. Limit visitors and maintain social distancing if you and your newborn need to leave the house.

Based on what the CDC currently knows, it is safe to breastfeed, but should be talked about with your doctor. The CDC has monitored women who have given birth while testing as COVID-19 positive and have found no traces of the virus in breast milk. The CDC asks that mothers who breastfeed take precautions while doing so, such as washing your hands beforehand and wearing a mask if possible if symptoms are present or have tested positive.

This is where social distancing is the most important. Maintaining a six-foot distance between everyone allows a safer way to interact. Make sure you are covering all of the common sense procedures mentioned above, such as cleanliness, covering your cough with your elbow and most importantly, making sure to stay home if you are sick. If you have recently traveled abroad or come into contact with someone who has been exposed to COVID-19, take measures to self-quarantine and communicate your situation with your doctor. The best way Americans can help our community, leadership, and medical staff is by limiting contact with others, not joining groups larger than ten, and avoiding travel, vacations, and community gatherings. The most important thing that can be done is to stay calm and to maintain hope for a brighter future.