Coronavirus Pandemic: To Get Pregnant Now or To Delay?

After getting married, most couples are readying themselves to get pregnant. However, if you have just wedded, would you be trying to get pregnant during these times that there is a coronavirus pandemic? 

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To get pregnant or not?

HuffPost talked to two OB-GYNs regarding getting pregnant this pandemic season. 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that there is not much scientific research done on the global pandemic disease and pregnancy at this moment. Health experts do not know if pregnant people have a higher chance of getting infected nor if they can have more severe symptoms. They also do not know if an infected pregnant person could harm the baby. 

However, Dr. Mary Jane Minkin, a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Yale University, said that they do not seem to see the transmission of the virus to the fetus. 

Similarly, they do not see any evidence that the virus is present in breast milk. Dr. Daniel Rosban, a high-risk maternal-fetal OB-GYN in New York City, said that infected breastfeeding mothers should express their milk then feed indirectly to their baby to avoid breathing on them. 

Pregnancy brings a lot of changes in the immune system, making pregnant mothers more susceptible to respiratory viruses. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists said that pregnant women should be considered at risk from getting infected with the COVID-19. 

Virtual Appointment With OB-GYN or Midwife

Seek the help of an OB-GYNE or midwife if you are considering getting pregnant. They can walk you through pregnancy and coronavirus, as well as check your medical history. 

Also, you would get a glimpse of any preconception basics, like taking 400 mcg of folic acid daily for at least a month and so on. 

Women Who Should Not Get Pregnant

Women who have an underlying health condition should not get pregnant now. Minkin said that women who have a history of lung or heart problems should probably not try to conceive now. 

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There are things to consider if to get pregnant or not.

The American Society of Reproductive Medicine also wants to suspend treatments for those trying to conceive. This suspension includes new treatment cycles of intrauterine insemination and in vitro fertilization. They are also calling out to doctors to "strongly consider" canceling all embryo transfers. (Please note that the group is regularly updating this recommendation and will be revisiting them by month-end)

Consider Your Mental Health

For those who still want to push through with conception, do take note that some hospitals, especially in New York City, the epicenter of COVID-19 pandemic, are not allowing pregnant women to have a doula or partner during labor. 

It is unclear whether other hospitals will follow this practice. However, the idea is, there are many changes happening, so it could possibly take place in all hospitals in the country. 

Experiencing pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum can be amazing, but undergoing physical and emotional changes during this period of a pandemic might make it less exciting. 

You have to consider these things because no one knows when this coronavirus pandemic will end. Will it be over after nine months? Probably. Still, there is no guarantee to that. Make sure to think about all these things and then decide which you think is best for you and your future baby.