Can contracting COVID-19 during pregnancy worsen the prognosis of the disease?
It is important to note that we are still learning about this virus and how it evolves. So far, information about its impact on pregnancy is still very limited.
Early scientific studies suggest that there is no transmission from mother to fetus during this period and that pregnant women are not more susceptible to infection.
It should be borne in mind that this virus is more frequent in the elderly and/or in people with previous pathologies; 80% of patients present only mild symptoms.
However, we do know that some respiratory infections such as influenza tend to be worse in pregnant women, so, as a matter of common sense, all pregnant women should follow all the recommendations of the health authorities regarding protection of risk groups.
Can COVID-19 increase the risk of miscarriage?
As mentioned above, there is currently no information on adverse pregnancy outcomes in pregnant women taking COVID-19. Pregnancy losses, including miscarriages and stillbirths, have been observed in cases of infection with other related coronaviruses such as SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV during pregnancy.
Should pregnant women follow any special recommendations to prevent infection?
Prevention is no different for pregnant women than for the rest of the population. As in any case, the recommended hand hygiene and social distancing measures should be maximized. It is important to remember that masks are not recommended for the prevention of infection, but only in the case of suspected infection, as a measure to prevent the spread of infection to others.
Are hand sanitizer gels safe in pregnancy?
Yes, although recent reports indicate that hand washing with soap and water is more effective than hydrogel solutions. These can also be very useful for use in the car, at the supermarket or anytime away from home. Also for cleaning children’s hands on a regular basis, considering that they may not always wash their hands properly.
What is the risk for infants and children?
Infants and children appear to have a lower risk of developing coronavirus symptoms. However, we should do everything possible to avoid the risk by reducing exposure as much as possible.
Is breastfeeding safe if the mother suspects she may be ill?
There is no evidence that breast milk contains the virus. However, breastfed infants could become infected through exposure to the mother’s saliva droplets (from coughing, sneezing, etc.) during breastfeeding.
For this reason, it may be safest to express milk with the help of a breast pump when COVID-19 is suspected and another person can offer it to the baby with a bottle, following in any case the recommendation of your health professional of reference.
Even so, frequent hand washing and the use of a mask is always a recommendation to follow in these cases.
In general, how can we avoid spreading COVID-19 to others?
If you have a cold, fever, cough or any other respiratory symptoms, or if you think you may have been exposed to COVID-19, you should first contact your health service, where they will tell you how to proceed depending on the symptoms you have.
As a general rule, from this moment on, you should keep a social distance and also take extreme precautions at home, with isolation, if possible, inside the house and, of course, taking all the hygiene measures already mentioned.
What happens if a couple is trying to conceive and should they postpone it?
There is no evidence that COVID-19 or any other similar virus affects fertility or causes birth defects if you are sick at the time of conception. Even so, it seems prudent to let this health emergency pass before facing a pregnancy, because of the possible complications that a respiratory infection can have on the pregnant woman.
What should patients undergoing fertility treatment or planning to go to a fertility clinic to start treatment do?
Following the recommendations of the European Society of Human Reproduction (ESHRE) and the recommendations of the SEF, from Ginefiv during these weeks we have been advising:
- For treatments already started: continue them until the follicular puncture in order to vitrify the eggs obtained or, if possible, fertilize them and freeze the resulting embryos, in order to be able to transfer them later.
- For treatments not yet started: postpone them until the end of the health emergency. This includes IVF cycles, artificial insemination and vitrified embryo transfers.
At the present time, in view of the new isolation measures in which we find ourselves, all consultations can be done online, by videoconference and free of charge.