Coronavirus and pregnancy: everything you need to know
Pregnancy and Coronavirus. Rule number 1: stay calm. In this article we will deepen the issue, trying to answer the many doubts that the current historical period is generating in pregnant women and new mothers. It should be immediately clarified that pregnant women do NOT fall into particularly at risk categories, therefore, unlike the elderly, immunosuppressed individuals or with previous pathologies, they have a probability of catching the virus equal to that of any other person, even not pregnant. In fact, there is NO scientific evidence to support the hypothesis that pregnant or postpartum women would be more exposed to contagion. Furthermore, studies conducted to date have denied the possibility of vertical intrauterine transmission from mother to child.
The precautions to be taken
Therefore, what is required of pregnant women, as well as the rest of the world population, is to comply with the hygiene and health regulations established by the Ministry of Health, such as:
- Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly with an alcohol-based soap or gel;
- Disinfect technological devices (mobile phones, computers and tablets) and household surfaces;
- Maintain a safety distance of at least 1 / 1.5 m from other people, strictly avoiding physical contact;
- Do not touch your eyes, nose and mouth;
- Sneezing / coughing inside disposable handkerchiefs or, alternatively, in the crease of the elbow;
- Stay at home as much as possible, limiting the outings to what is strictly necessary;
Follow-up visits: how to behave
But, then, how to deal with the checkups? More than legitimate question. The advice is to go to appointments only if essential and required by the clinical conditions, otherwise it will be possible to keep in touch with your trusted gynecologist via telephone. Sometimes, if unavoidable and in agreement with your doctor, home visits may be carried out, adopting all the necessary protective measures.
Furthermore, at the time of delivery, women positive for the virus or suspected of COVID-19 will have access to specific hospital areas, separated and equipped with ad hoc protection systems in order to avoid the spread of the infection and protect the medical team and the rest of patients.
Have you had contact with Coronavirus positive people? Here's what to do:
What happens if you have had contact with a person who tested positive for Coronavirus? There are two basic things to do in these cases:
- contact your doctor or gynecologist immediately and carefully follow the instructions given by them;
- protect the health of the people with whom you live, avoiding any type of contact with them and adopting even stricter hygiene measures as long as the test result confirms positivity or not.
What if the swab is positive?
If symptoms such as fever, dry nose and throat, breathing difficulties and cough are recorded, it will be necessary to go to an obstetric and gynecological emergency room and, if the swab is positive, the procedure to be followed will be the same as for other infected individuals: stay in absolute quarantine if the symptoms are mild or, otherwise, contact the health professionals who will evaluate the possibility of hospitalization. In the meantime, it is necessary to keep the gynecologist constantly updated, who will take care of continuing to monitor the pregnancy.
Once delivered, the newborn will also be subjected to the COVID-19 test. In this regard, it should be emphasized, as the gynecologists reiterated, that “at present, scientific knowledge excludes that Coronavirus crosses the placenta and therefore the fetus is protected. After the birth, it will be necessary to follow the instructions that will be provided by the staff of the Birth Center ".
If the partner is positive:
Furthermore, in the event that the partner is affected by Coronavirus, there is an absolute prohibition for him to access the obstetrics wards and, consequently, to attend the birth of his partner. In cases like these, there are no alternatives to isolating the infected.
Which delivery method to choose?
As for childbirth, there are currently no preferable methods compared to others. The advice is to rely on the expert opinion of the doctors who will be at your side in this delicate and special moment. Each case is unique and they will have the expertise to assess the situation and make the decision that suits you best.
Breastfeeding issue: no risk of transmission
Breastfeeding is another issue that raises many perplexities in pregnant women as well as in new mothers. For now, the link between breast milk and transmission of the virus has NOT been proven in any way, so mothers can safely breastfeed their babies, naturally taking all essential precautions, such as the use of disposable gloves and masks.
If the new mother is positive for COVID-19, the health care staff will evaluate whether to proceed with normal breastfeeding or to feed the baby at a distance with milk previously expressed, manually or mechanically, from the mother's breast. Even in the latter case, the same hygiene rules must be maintained.
To conclude, it should be emphasized that, in this particular context, it is essential to suspend all visits from relatives, both at the hospital and at home, including grandparents. The risk of contagion would be too high and at this moment it is not possible to let our guard down. Better days will come and you will celebrate the birth of your baby as it deserves!
