Pregnancy and coronavirus: Gynae tips and facts you must know

For expectant mothers during the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, there could be a mixture of fear, elation, stress and sadness all wrapped up in your emotions.

There have already been cases of some infants and toddlers contracting Covid-19 coronavirus from their infected mothers.

Sadly, there's also been news of a baby under the age of one succumbing to the disease as well. Meanwhile, data on whether pregnant women have more or less severe reactions to the new coronavirus are unclear.

There are still so many unanswered questions about being pregnant during the pandemic. Dr Christopher Chong, obstetrician and gynaecologist at Gleneagles Hospital, tries to quell some of those fears by tackling our most pressing questions:

Should pregnant women be worried about the Covid-19 outbreak?

Yes in a way, but not to the extent of panicking about pregnancy and coronavirus. Everyone should be vigilant and responsible. This is especially when pregnancy is a state of slightly lowered resistance.

They should not be overly worried but will just need to take general and logical precautions, and behave responsibly. There should not be fears about visiting the hospital for follow-up or delivery.

If I get infected with Covid-19 while pregnant, what are the implications for my baby?

Some recent studies have shown that it will not directly affect the foetus, but there are not enough studies and experience to be totally sure.

If the foetus get infected, the possibilities include premature labour, poor growth of the organs and failure to thrive after delivery.

Hence a pregnant woman will still need to take the general precautions advised. If an affected baby is delivered, they will be managed the same way as any infected child or adult.

Can a pregnant woman die from Covid-19 or develop serious complications (i.e. miscarriage)?

Yes - A pregnant woman can have the same outcome as a non-pregnant person, and in fact, the complications can be more severe than a non-pregnant one as a pregnant woman's resistance is lowered.

What extra precautions should pregnant women take to prevent catching the Covid-19 virus?

As above - take general precautions to improve one's immunity. Have enough sleep/rest, balanced diet, exercise, take supplements/vitamins. Avoid crowded areas and if a pregnant woman were to be in a crowded area, perhaps put on a mask.

For the latest updates on the coronavirus, visit here.

This article was first published in Young Parents.