Pregnancy concerns during the pandemic
Q: I’m pregnant. Should I worry about COVID-19?
A: You certainly should be especially cautious about it. Pregnancy is considered a high-risk condition for women who become infected with the COVID-19 virus, based on previously published studies. A new study published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Nov. 2 reinforces this concern.
Scientists looked at information on more than 460,000 women with COVID-19, almost 90% of whom were symptomatic. Of the symptomatic women, 23,434 were pregnant. It was found that pregnant women with symptomatic COVID-19 were significantly more likely than non-pregnant women to be admitted to an intensive care unit and to be put on a ventilator and had an increased risk of dying from the disease. This was particularly true of older pregnant women in the 35-44 age group.
The reasons for the increased risk for all pregnant women are many, but are mostly related to the changes that occur in your body with pregnancy. These include decreased lung capacity because of the baby pressing upon your diaphragm, decreased immunity and increased risk of blood clots. It was also found that:
› Pregnant Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander women appeared to be at disproportionately greater risk for ICU admission.
› Hispanic pregnant women of any race not only experienced an increased risk for COVID-19 infection, but also a higher risk for death than non-pregnant Hispanic women.
› Regardless of pregnancy status, non-Hispanic Black women experienced a disproportionate number of deaths.
› One other concern is that there appears to be an increased risk of premature delivery of the baby in pregnant women who have COVID19, especially in the second and third trimesters.
It should be made clear that the absolute risks of severe illness or death are still low, even in pregnant women. However, if you are pregnant and develop COVID-19, you clearly have a greater risk of complications. It’s also important to remember that pregnant women are also at increased risk of severe complications of influenza and should be sure they get vaccinated against the flu. The same precautions for COVID-19 will also help protect you from the flu.
This is why it is so important for women who are pregnant to be extra careful about not being exposed to anyone with COVID-19. They should carefully follow all the standard precautions of mask-wearing, social distancing and enhanced hygiene, especially handwashing. They should also avoid crowded places, especially if indoors, and avoid anyone who is known to be suffering from COVID-19 or any symptoms of illness.
If you are pregnant and you develop respiratory symptoms, you should not wait before contacting your doctor.