The latest in Coronavirus and Pregnancy

Published on: 11/03/2020

The Royal College of Midwives have published guidance for health professionals on the Coronavirus (COVID-19) infection in pregnancy which is now available to download.

The guidance was shared immediately by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, Public Health England and Health Protection Scotland.

What you need to know:

Pregnant women do not appear to be more susceptible to the consequences of Coronavirus than the general population.

There is no current evidence that the virus can pass to the baby during pregnancy.

As a precautionary approach, pregnant women with suspected or confirmed Coronavirus at the time of labour are advised to attend an Obstetric Unit for birth, although individual birth and care plans still need to be taken into account.

There is no current evidence that the virus can be carried in breastmilk. 

It is felt that the benefits of breastfeeding outweigh any potential risks of transmission of Coronavirus through breastmilk.

 

Information for expectant mothers:

The large majority of women will experience only mild or moderate cold/flu like symptoms. Cough, fever and shortness of breath are other relevant symptoms. More severe symptoms such as pneumonia and marked hypoxia are widely described with Coronavirus in older people, the immunosuppressed and those with long-term conditions such as diabetes, cancer and chronic lung disease. These symptoms could occur in pregnant women so should be identified and treated promptly.

There is currently no data suggesting an increased risk of miscarriage or early pregnancy loss in relation to Coronavirus. Case reports from early pregnancy studies with SARS and MERS do not demonstrate a convincing relationship between infection and increased risk of miscarriage or second trimester loss. As there is no evidence of intrauterine fetal infection with Coronavirus it is therefore currently considered unlikely that there will be congenital effects of the virus on fetal development.

Latest Government Updates:

If you have returned from anywhere from Italy in the last 14 days and develop symptoms however mild, you should self-isolate and call NHS 111

If you have returned anywhere from specific lock down areas in Northern Italy in the last 14 days, you should call NHS 111 and self-isolate even if you do not have symptoms

If you have ANY other concerns regarding your own/your babies health during or after pregnancy, we cannot stress enough the importance of contacting a Health Professional straight away. There is a vast array of information relating to the Coronavirus on all media platforms, but the best practices and most recent updates will come from your Midwife or GP. If you experience any of the symptoms mentioned in this article, do not attempt to visit any surgery in person and stay inside your home.