Pregnancy

Pregnant During a Pandemic

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What is the risk for pregnant women of getting COVID-19?

  • It is currently unknown if pregnant women have a greater chance of getting sick from COVID-19 than the general public nor whether they are more likely to have serious illness as a result.
  • Pregnant women in general have an increased risk to some infections and viruses. With viruses from the same family as COVID-19, and other viral respiratory infections, such as influenza, women have had a higher risk of developing severe illness.

Can COVID-19 cause problems for a pregnancy?
At this time, it is unknown if COVID-19 would cause problems during pregnancy.

How can pregnant women protect themselves?

Pregnant women should act on COVID-19 as the general public is recommended:

  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
  • Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol if soap and water not available
  • Cover your cough (preferably with your elbow)
  • Avoid people who are sick
  • Follow the Guidance on social distancing for all vulnerable people

Should I continue going to work while pregnant during COVID-19 pandemic?
Pregnant woman who have the ability to work from home should do so. If you can not work from home, if you work in a public-facing role that can be modified appropriately to minimize your exposure, this should be considered and discussed with your occupational health team.

Should you attend your prenatal appointments?
If you are well, you should attend your antenatal care as normal. Be sure to call your healthcare office prior to attending to follow proper protocol.
If you have symptoms of possible coronavirus infection, you should postpone routine visits until after the isolation period is over. Use of telemedicine for prenatal care may be a novel way to limit exposure to COVID-19 for pregnant women.

Can COVID-19 be passed from a pregnant woman to the newborn?
We still do not know if a pregnant woman with COVID-19 can pass the virus that causes COVID-19 to her fetus or baby during pregnancy or delivery.

Does having COVID-19 during pregnancy increase the chance for miscarriage?
Studies have not been done to see if having COVID-19 during pregnancy could increase the chance of miscarriage.

For more information about the Coronavirus Disease 2019 and Pregnancy visit: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/pregnancy-breastfeeding.html#anchor_1584169262 

OR https://mothertobaby.org/fact-sheets/covid-19/