COVID-19: Advice for Pregnant Women
Q: What is the risk to pregnant women of getting COVID-19? Is it easier for pregnant women to become ill with the disease? If they become infected, will they be more sick than other people?
A: According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), it is currently not known if pregnant women have a greater chance of getting sick from COVID-19 than the general public nor whether they are more likely to have serious illness as a result. Pregnant women experience changes in their bodies that may increase their risk of some infections. With viruses from the same family as COVID-19, and other viral respiratory infections, such as influenza, women have had a higher risk of developing severe illness. It is always important for pregnant women to protect themselves from illnesses.
Q: Can COVID-19 cause problems for a pregnancy?
A: According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), it is currently not known at this time if COVID-19 would cause problems during pregnancy or affect the health of the baby after birth.
Q: If a pregnant woman has COVID-19 during pregnancy, will it hurt the baby?
A: According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), it is currently not known at this time what if any risk is posed to infants of a pregnant woman who has COVID-19. There have been a small number of reported problems with pregnancy or delivery (e.g. preterm birth) in babies born to mothers who tested positive for COVID-19 during their pregnancy. However, it is not clear that these outcomes were related to maternal infection.
Q: Can COVID-19 be passed from a pregnant woman to the fetus or newborn?
A: According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), it is still not known if a pregnant woman with COVID-19 can pass the virus that causes COVID-19 to her fetus or baby during pregnancy or delivery. No infants born to mothers with COVID-19 have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. In these cases, which are a small number, the virus was not found in samples of amniotic fluid or breastmilk.
Q: How can pregnant women protect themselves from getting COVID-19?
Pregnant women should do the same things as the general public to avoid infection. You can help stop the spread of COVID-19 by taking these actions:
- Social distancing is the best and most effective tool to slow the spread of COVID-19. Pregnant women should limit themselves to gatherings of individuals to no more than 10 people.
- Cover your cough (using your elbow is a good technique)
- Avoid people who are sick
- Clean your hands often using soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer
