Dr. Lori Gore-Green | Women's Health Professional

Dr. Lori Gore-Green's Portfolio of Experience as a Women's Health Professional

Pregnancy and COVID-19

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When the COVID-19 pandemic began, physicians could only speculate how the virus would affect at-risk patients. For many months, no one had definitive data on how pregnant women might be affected by COVID-19 or the coronavirus vaccines. According to the research journal Nature, a few facts have emerged about the relationship between pregnancy and COVID-19.

One American obstetrician, Yalda Afshar, has led the charge to gather data. She was pregnant herself when the COVID-19 pandemic first began, and that inspired her to create a registry for pregnant women to help scientists monitor the impact of the virus.

After a year of gathering data, Afshar and other scientists have determined that pregnant women are at greater risk of severe complications from COVID-19. Compared to other women their age, pregnant women are more likely to be hospitalized due to COVID-19 and more likely to face long-term issues from the virus. As the Centers for Disease Control have previously reported, women of color are more likely to die from pregnancy than white women, and this trend has continued, as pregnant women of color seem to be more affected by COVID-19.

The babies themselves rarely become sick from COVID-19. Lab work has shown that the virus is not often passed from mother to baby. Doctors still recommend breastfeeding, even for women who have tested positive for the virus. However, pregnant women with COVID-19 are more likely to deliver early, which could cause health issues for their babies.

Due to ethical concerns, no pregnant women were allowed to enroll in the clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccines. While there are no data on how the vaccines might impact pregnant women, most obstetricians, and fetal-maternal specialists recommend that women discuss the vaccine with their providers. Globally, no governments have prioritized vaccine delivery to pregnant or lactating women.

Given the lack of data available, some scientists are calling for reforms to traditional research study guidelines. To these researchers, the protections that keep pregnant women from research studies are paternalistic and harmful. A handful of recent vaccine trials have included pregnant women, but the data from these trials are not yet available, and there’s no indication that overall research guidelines will be changed in the near future.

What To Know About Being Pregnant During COVID-19

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The world has changed quite a bit since the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States in full force. Most places require masks to be worn in public and social distancing measures have been taken in public spaces as well as places of business. This can be nerve wracking for people, especially if you’re pregnant during these wild times. While not much evidence has been found saying that pregnant women need to be more worried than others, it’s still fair if you’re someone who is constantly worried. Here are a few things you might want to know about being pregnant during the pandemic.

 

Risk Of Transmitting The Virus To The Baby?

While it’s certainly possible for a new born baby to contract the virus, there has been no evidence that points towards the baby being affected while it’s still in the womb. Research has shown that newborns may be less likely to catch any serious forms of the virus, as well as show symptoms of it. Regardless of this, it’s important to protect not only yourself while you’re pregnant but the baby when it’s first born, so be sure to take precautions when first bringing the baby home.

 

Should I Change Labor and/or Delivery Plans?

Being in a hospital during a pandemic can be extremely stressful, especially as so many of them have suffered from overcrowding. This may make you think you’ll have to change your deliver and labor plans, but the first thing you should do is sit down and speak with your doctor about it. Many hospitals are adjusting things in order to limit the chance of exposure for patients such as expecting mothers, and many believe that delivering in a hospital is still the safest course of action regardless of the state of things.

 

What Should You Do If You Think You Have COVID-19 or Have Been Diagnosed?

If you think you’re sick, you’ll want to seek out the advice of your healthcare provider. If you actually get diagnosed with the virus, you’ll want to not only speak with your OB-GYN but also read what the CDC has to say about having the virus while pregnant. This will likely mean quarantining yourself as much as possible, only going out for medical care, and avoiding congested public places such as transportation.