What do pregnant women need to know about the coronavirus?

On Tuesday, May 12, 2020 at 19:30 GMT:

The coronavirus pandemic is increasing stress and uncertainty for many expectant mothers around the world.

One major reason for this is because health experts “are operating in a data-free zone” when it comes to pregnant women and COVID-19. Research is still pending on whether these women are more susceptible to catching the illness, and if contracting the virus could affect fetal health.

This leaves pregnant essential workers with little information as they grapple with the difficult choice of earning income or possibly putting their health – and babies – at risk.

Compounding this fear of the unknown are strict social distancing guidelines. This has caused increased mental distress for women who are deprived of the support of loved ones and those who could benefit from helpful birthing and breastfeeding classes.

The pandemic has also complicated family planning issues. Many women wonder whether it’s safe to have a baby during this time. Not everyone will have a choice – the United Nations warns that lockdowns could result in millions of unintended pregnancies, as women in many countries lose access to contraceptives.

From a medical perspective, pre- and post-natal treatments are rapidly evolving to ensure the safest care. In some nations, regular checkups have moved online to prevent unnecessary hospital visits. In these instances, expectant mothers are taught to monitor foetal heartbeats and their own blood pressure – a change that may stick around for years to come.

In this episode we ask, what do pregnant women need to know about the coronavirus?

On this episode of The Stream we are joined by:

Dr Olufemi Oladapo, @oladapo_olufemi

Acting Unit Head, Maternal and Perinatal Health (MPH), World Health Organisation

www.who.int/reproductivehealth