Wednesday, December 4, 2024

HEALTHIER YOU: Pregnancy & Coronavirus

September 10, 2020 by  
Filed under Health

Pregnancy & Coronavirus

BY DR. ANNETTE MAYES, OB/GYN

DR. ANNETTE MAYE

There is still no specific information available about the impacts of coronavirus on pregnancy and breastfeeding. But I will draw from the information we do have around the worldwide impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Pregnant women experience immunologic and physiologic changes which might make them more susceptible to viral respiratory infections, including COVID-19. Pregnant women also might be at risk for severe illness, morbidity, or mortality compared to the general population as observed in cases of other related coronavirus infections.

It is still unknown whether a pregnant woman with COVID-19 can transmit the virus that causes COVID-19 to her fetus before, during, or after delivery. However, in the limited recent CDC (Centers for Disease Control) case study of infants born to mothers with COVID-19 published in the peer-reviewed literature, none of the infants have tested positive for the virus that causes COVID-19. Additionally, the virus was not detected in samples of amniotic fluid or breast milk.

The CDC reports, “In limited studies on women with COVID-19 and another coronavirus infection, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV), the virus has not been detected in breast milk; however we do not know whether mothers with COVID-19 can transmit the virus via breast milk.

A mother with confirmed COVID-19 or who is a symptomatic PUI should take all possible precautions to avoid spreading the virus to her infant, including washing her hands before touching the infant and wearing a face mask, if possible, while feeding at the breast. If expressing breast milk with a manual or electric breast pump, the mother should wash her hands before touching any pump or bottle parts and follow recommendations for proper pump cleaning after each use. If possible, consider someone who is well feed expressed breast milk to the infant.”

New mothers and fathers need to practice protective health measures when around their newborns and or small children that includes washing of hands for at least 20 seconds, Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands, stay home if you are sick, Cover your month if you sneeze or cough, and avoid crowds.

And be aware of any COVID-19 signs or symptoms that include:

  • Fever
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath/Seek medical advice
  • Have been in close contact with a person known to have COVID-19 or live in or have recently traveled from an area with ongoing spread of COVID-19.

For more information, call Las Vegas All Women’s Care at (702) 522-9640. Or visit us at 700 Shadow Lane #165 in Las Vegas.

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