The latest waves of the pandemic mainly affected people between 30 and 40 years old, including many pregnant women. And although today the incidence of Covid-19 is very small, there are still many doubts regarding a pregnancy with Covid-19. Hence today we talk about everything you need to know so that you can be calm, about the protocols, the dangers and the care to follow.
Do you have symptoms? Confirm the infection
Pregnancy is a risk factor so, if you suspect a Covid-19 infection, the first step will be take a test at home and get in touch with the doctor who is managing your pregnancy so that he or she can recommend some measures for your well-being and that of your baby.
The usual thing is that you are tested to detect if you have the virus that causes COVID-19 and once confirmed precautions and measures are taken according to the symptoms you present, how you feel and how your pregnancy is going.
What are the risks?
The risk that Covid-19 has for pregnant women is generally lowHowever, there are cases in which serious illness can develop, even if the infection is mild or asymptomatic. And infections can cause complications for the mother.
A serious condition would imply hospitalization so that you receive the necessary medical care to avoid complications for both you and the baby, although intrauterine infection is not common. The evidence indicates, in fact, that the possibility of transmitting the infection to the baby during pregnancy is very rare.
Regarding the dangers that could arise from Covid-19 infection, the most important and those that should be noted are the following:
- Increases the risk of problems such as preeclampsia up to more than 62% compared to a pregnant woman without Covid-19, a process by which increases blood pressure and liver or kidney damage is recorded.
- Both preeclampsia and other factors contribute to pregnant women with COVID-19 being more likely to give birth before the 37th week of pregnancy and therefore have a premature birth.
- Also, the baby could be smaller size at birth in the face of complications that the mother may suffer.
- Although there are those who attribute a higher risk of abortion to a pregnancy with Covid-19, the truth is that the evidence indicates that it cannot be stated that this is the case.
What happens after childbirth?
Are you wondering if in the event of Covid you will be separated from your baby after giving birth? Don't worry, this will only happen in serious symptoms. Or in other words, when your health is affected by the infection and you cannot take care of your baby. In those cases, the priority will be to recover.
In mild or asymptomatic cases, it is normal for the postpartum period to pass normally with certain additional hygiene guidelines like wearing a mask and being scrupulous about cleaning your hands every time you hold your baby. When these measures are taken, the risk of a newborn becoming infected with the Covid-19 virus is very low.
Is breastfeeding possible?
The WHO recommends that breastfeeding be continued in cases where the mother is infected. And breastfeeding has numerous advantages for mother and child and the virus that causes Covid-19 has not been detected in breast milk in studies carried out to date. Therefore, it is safe to breastfeed, taking the aforementioned precautions.
The vaccine, the best ally
Many of the complications have occurred in unvaccinated women, so now that it is known that Vaccines in pregnant women are safe and effective, the best way to avoid complications associated with a pregnancy with Covid-19 is to get vaccinated. Research also shows that babies born to mothers who received two doses of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine may have a lower risk of hospitalization due to COVID-19 infection in the first six months of life.