Frequently Asked Questions
COVID-19 and pregnancy (March 2020)
Limited information is available regarding peripartum COVID-19. Pregnancy and childbirth do not appear to aggravate the clinical course, but severe maternal illness and death are possible. Vertical transmission had not been confirmed, but the possibility of transmission cannot be excluded, and a few possible/probable cases of in utero infection have been reported. Virus has been detected in a few samples of maternal milk, but the risk of infection is unclear, and droplet transmission to the neonate could occur through close contact during feeding.
Source: UpToDate Journals
General Questions
How can we prevent pregnant women from getting infected with Covid19?
Pregnant women should follow the same recommendations as nonpregnant persons for avoiding exposure to the virus (eg, social distancing, hand hygiene, disinfecting surfaces, wearing a mask in public). Women with epidemiologic history of contact should be monitored.
Pregnant women with children should exercise caution. COVID-19 in children is often mild and may be asymptomatic, although severe cases have been reported. Given the possibility of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from asymptomatic individuals (or presymptomatic individuals within the incubation period), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that children not have playdates with children from other households; that they remain ≥6 feet from people from other households when playing outside; and that they wear cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.
Can pregnant women continue to work?
Pregnant workers in occupations other than health care may continue to work until they deliver, but risk mitigation (reassignment at term to roles with reduced risk of exposure or self-quarantine) can be considered to reduce the individual’s risk of being infected peripartum, when maternal infection has broader implications (eg, exposure of health care workers, infant exposure). The patient’s comorbidities and individual work situation should guide the clinician’s response to requests for medical leave.
Are pregnant women more at risk from getting infected with Covid19?
Available data from multiple small series and case reports generally suggest that pregnancy and childbirth do not increase the risk for acquiring SARS-CoV-2 infection, do not worsen the clinical course of COVID-19 compared with nonpregnant individuals of the same age, and most (>90 percent) infected mothers recover without undergoing delivery.
Source: UpToDate Journals