Positive attitude amidst pandemic scare – Guide for pregnant women
Over the next 3 months, nearly a million women will give birth to babies. Pregnant women are incredibly stressed because of the unknowns of the covid-19 outbreak. The pandemic has exhausted healthcare resources across the world; as a result, even the best planning is suspended. Some parents are desperately seeking new healthcare providers, preferring home births, and some are even inducing labor early to escape a challenging situation that seems increasingly desperate.
Experts say that pregnant women being a vulnerable population should be extra careful to avoid catching the virus, but the good news is that there is no evidence that moms can pass it to their babies. Many expected moms were told that they were not making any drastic plan changes for delivery but were very worried. Women’s health professionals say that pregnant moms should trust their doctors and hospitals as their monitoring healthcare facilities to protect them and their future children.
The main concern for pregnant women is visiting hospitals and picking up coronavirus there:
It is, therefore, advisable to reach healthcare for delivery at hospitals that follow strict and standard protocols to protect from the spreading of COVID-19.
Experts recommend pregnant women be extra cautious and take coronavirus-related precautions like frequent hand washing and avoiding seeing people who are sick since pregnancy makes the immune systems weak, and contracting a virus of any type will lead to a higher risk of pregnancy complications. One should understand that based on experiences from across the world, pregnant women do not want to be at higher risk of complications, nor the virus seems to cross the placenta and affect the fetus.
For expectant moms, the key is to stay sane and be ready for what lies ahead. During labor, you must be bold to know that things can change at any time and be flexible. Most pregnant women are expected to experience only mild or moderate cold or flu-like symptoms. So far, no data or reports of COVID-19-related maternal deaths have been reported.
What does the coronavirus mean for my baby?
The good news is the virus hasn’t been detected in amniotic fluid, cord blood, placenta tissue or breast milk, and the current thinking is that there’s no “vertical transmission” (you won’t transmit it to the fetus, though the possibility of transmission through external contact should be taken care of by taking adequate precautions during baby handling).
How should I protect myself if I’m pregnant?
It is the same advice given to everyone. Strength your immune system, and avoid places where you would be at higher risk of being infected. So, avoid large crowds and sick people, and wash your hands frequently. You can get a flu shot if you haven’t got it till now to maximize your immune system. The flu vaccine is safe in pregnancy and also during breastfeeding. The immunity passes to the baby too.
On a positive note, let’s all smile and remind ourselves that this too shall pass.