I’m currently pregnant, and concerned about the impact the coronavirus might have on my pregnancy, baby, and delivery. What do I need to know about my risks and how I might protect myself?

Sincerely,

“Stressing for Two”

Dear Stressing:

First and foremost: It's important to remain calm. The good news is that we don’t believe pregnant women are more susceptible to catching coronavirus than the general population. COVID-19 is a new virus; recommendations from various health care organizations about its transmission and effects are constantly being updated as we learn new information. But from our experience with other strains of coronavirus, as well as with COVID-19 to date, it does not appear that pregnant women are at greater risk, however this still remains unknown and we are monitoring this closely. Pregnant women should focus on taking the same precautions as the broader population in their age group, including social distancing and plenty of hand washing.

It’s also important to point out that based on what we know from other coronaviruses, as well as from COVID-19 reports, we don’t believe the virus can be passed through the placenta. It’s not present in amniotic fluid or breast milk, and unlike the Zika virus, we don’t think COVID-19 leads to an increased incidence of abnormalities in the fetus.

As testing increases, we should be prepared for an uptick in pregnant patients diagnosed with COVID-19. I advise you to remain calm as these announcements are made. Your OB/GYN will work to provide up-to-date guidance on how women who still need to be seen in person should navigate this time. At Northwell, we’re working on efficient and safe ways to see patients who are quarantined or test positive for Coronavirus, as well as a hotline for expecting patients with questions.

In terms of delivery, a patient with COVID-19 will have a similar experience to that of a non-COVID-19 patient during the birthing process. However, in order to protect the newborn after delivery, an isolation period may be required. In this scenario, new moms would be allowed to pump and use their own breast milk for feedings, but would be advised not to breastfeed in order to reduce risk of transmission.

For expecting moms who have not contracted COVID-19, I encourage you to stick to your delivery plan. We understand the concern about entering a hospital where COVID-19 patients might be located, but based on the many precautions being taken, the risk of transmission in a hospital is extremely low. Most labor rooms are private and single-bedded, and many post-delivery rooms are single-bedded as well. Hospitals have been very proactive about limited visitation to keep everyone safe.

It is important for people to remember to bear with their medical teams right now—we are continuing to learn new information every day. Even so, patients should feel comfortable reaching out to their doctors with any questions or to schedule an appointment. We’re here to help keep both mom and baby safe.