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How does Covid-19 affect pregnant women? Are pregnant women more susceptible to the disease?
There is not much scientific information on this subject as the disease is still very new. Pregnant women experience immunologic and physiologic changes which make them more susceptible to viral respiratory infections. Based on a limited number of confirmed Covid–19 cases, pregnant women do not appear to be at an increased risk for severe disease. This is unlike other viral infections such as influenza, SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV where the severity is much more.
Is there a greater risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes?
There is not enough information to answer this question. However, with the other coronavirus infections, miscarriage, stillbirth, and birth defects have been observed.
Can pregnant women with Covid-19 pass on the infection to their foetus or newborn?
Again, there is a paucity of evidence on this. But in a limited series of women who delivered during the outbreak in China, the babies did not test positive for Covid-19.
Can Covid-19 be transmitted through breastmilk?
The main concern is not whether the virus can be transmitted through breastmilk, but whether an infected mother can transmit the virus through respiratory droplets during the period of breastfeeding especially when coughing or sneezing. A mother with confirmed Covid-19 or who is symptomatic and under investigation should take all possible precautions to avoid spreading the virus to her infant, including washing her hands before touching the infant and wearing a face mask, if possible, while breastfeeding. If expressing breastmilk with a manual or electric breast pump, the mother should wash her hands before touching any pump or bottle parts and follow recommendations for proper pump cleaning after each use. If possible, consider having someone who is well to feed the expressed breastmilk to the infant. In a limited case series, no virus was found in the breastmilk. However, it is not known if the virus can be transmitted to the baby through breastmilk.
Dr Prathima Reddy
(The author is director, Fortis La Femme Hospital, Bengaluru)