Coronavirus and Pregnancy: What You Should Know

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Updated on Feb 4, 2021

Pregnancy can be a time of joyous anticipation and excitement for women and their families. But the coronavirus pandemic raises concerns. Are yous and your baby at risk?

By following doctors' advice and taking some extra precautions, you can enjoy a healthy, happy pregnancy while protecting yourself and your unborn child from the furnishings of COVID-19.

Jeanne Sheffield, Thousand.D., an expert in maternal-fetal medicine at Johns Hopkins, explains what pregnant women should know about the impact of the coronavirus and COVID-19 on pregnancy. She provides perspective on current research data concerning meaning women who take had COVID-xix, and offers suggestions on what you can do to stay safer.

Avoiding the Coronavirus During Pregnancy

Avoiding infection with the coronavirus is a top priority for pregnant women. Sheffield explains why: "Meaning women can experience changes to their allowed systems that can brand them more vulnerable to respiratory viruses," she says. "These changes mean that expectant mothers should be proactive when it comes to condom measures.

"If yous're pregnant, you lot should take precautions to protect yourself from getting COVID-nineteen. Do everything you tin, including physical distancing, wearing a mask, hand-washing and staying in close communication with your provider."

She says many practitioners are scheduling less frequent appointments to help pregnant patients limit trips to the medico's office. Other obstetricians are ramping up telemedicine processes so they can continue to monitor pregnant patients without an in-person visit. Ask your obstetrician nigh these options.

Should pregnant women get a coronavirus test? If you lot are having COVID-19 symptoms or think y'all have been exposed to an infected person, call your doctor and follow his or her communication. Attach to precautions carefully: Stay at to the lowest degree 6 feet from others, wear a mask, and avoid large gatherings and indoor socializing exterior of your household.

Sheffield says, "Ideally, all pregnant women should exist screened for COVID-19 when they are admitted to deliver their babies, just especially mothers with cough, fever or any respiratory symptoms."

Now that the first COVID-19 vaccines take been authorized by the U.S. Nutrient and Drug Administration, vaccination has begun across the state. Here's more about the COVID-xix vaccine and pregnancy.

Finally, pregnant women should be vaccinated against flu (the influenza). Pregnant women who get the flu tin get very sick, and having a loftier fever raises the chance of harm to your baby.

Elsa with baby in hospital bed with husband Victor at their side.

Pregnancy and COVID-19: Elsa's Story

Elsa Lisseth Reyes-Amaya was pregnant when she was hospitalized for a serious case of COVID-nineteen. Multiple departments across Johns Hopkins Medicine worked together to treat her and monitor her pregnancy. Four months after, Elsa safely delivered her girl, Sofia.

Read the article | En español

COVID-19'south Impact on Pregnant Women

Women who have COVID-19 symptoms while meaning should notify their doctors immediately. If you are tested for the coronavirus and it turns out you accept it, do not panic.

"We can provide treatment for COVID-19 in pregnancy," Sheffield says. "Several of the medications currently in use are also being used for our pregnant women, and early on studies have shown they can provide some benefit."

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society of Maternal-Fetal Medicine accept worked with national and international leaders on recommendations for doctors working with meaning women who might have COVID-19 or who accept been diagnosed with the disease. These recommendations are based on data from the starting time few months of the coronavirus pandemic, and are being updated every bit more is learned about the virus.

In a Sept. 25, 2020, report from the U.Due south. Centers for Illness Command and Prevention, researchers reported birth outcomes of 598 pregnant women with confirmed COVID-19.

Pregnant women with COVID-19 were institute to be more than likely to be hospitalized and crave ICU access than non-pregnant women. Fifty-five percent of the hospitalized patients had no COVID-19 symptoms (asymptomatic). 1-fifth of the hospitalized women had underlying medical conditions. There was a 2% pregnancy loss rate, and a small increase in preterm deliveries.

"There is nevertheless limited information almost whether COVID-19 in particular is associated with pregnancy loss, miscarriage or stillbirth," she says. "Simply we do know that high fevers in pregnancy, especially in the commencement trimester, tin can raise the risk of birth defects. That is why we encourage our patients to protect themselves from any illness that causes fever, including the flu."

Hospital Visitors During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Sheffield says at that place'south one more than very important item for pregnant women to remember: Many hospitals are changing their visitor policies to control the spread of the coronavirus.

For case, The Johns Hopkins Hospital strictly limits labor and delivery visitors to one. That means a patient can designate only i person to accompany her through the nativity process: a partner, a family unit member or a doula. The hospital's ambulatory birth eye is not assuasive any visitors at all while the pandemic continues. These guidelines are adjusted depending on the community prevalence of COVID-nineteen.

Such policies can exist hard on families, dashing plans and expectations for a joyous nascence shared amidst loved ones. Only, says Sheffield, these limits are essential to protecting patients, their babies, other patients and hospital staff.

"People have been gracious and understanding," she says. "We appreciate everyone's cooperation in these boggling times."

Scientist carefully insets a pipette into a test tube.

Coronavirus (COVID-19)

What you demand to know from Johns Hopkins Medicine.