Pregnant fiancée to avoid contact

Boris Johnson’s pregnant fiancée Carrie Symonds falls into the group of vulnerable people urged to avoid contact with those with symptoms of Covid-19.

Ms Symonds, who is expecting the couple’s baby in the summer, is also advised to take social distancing seriously. While pregnant women do not appear more likely to contract coronavirus than the general population, pregnancy itself alters the body’s immune system and response to viral infections in general.

Guidance updated on Thursday from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) says viral infections can “occasionally be related to more severe symptoms and this will be the same for Covid-19”.

It says that, while the risks are small overall, health professionals should look out for more severe symptoms of Covid-19 in pregnant women who test positive, such as pneumonia and a lack of oxygen.

But the RCOG says the current expert opinion is that unborn babies are unlikely to be exposed to Covid-19 during pregnancy.

There is also no data at the moment suggesting an increased risk of miscarriage for pregnant women.

The RCOG reiterates government advice that pregnant women “should pay particular attention to avoiding contact with people who are known to have Covid-19 or those who exhibit possible symptoms”.

“Women above 28 weeks’ gestation should be particularly attentive to social distancing and minimising contact with others,” it adds.