As the coronavirus outbreak shakes the world, forcing them into isolation and tragedy, many of the moms are concerned whether this deadly virus will affect their babies or not. Since the outbreak, few cases have turned up where the pregnant women have coronavirus. The question that – can the virus be transmitted to their baby or not? There is no convincing proof regarding transmission to the fetus. But there is a risk that after birth a child can be exposed to viruses and other respiratory viral infections either by means of breastfeeding or from the hospital environment.
WHO dismissed the belief that pregnant women are more prone to severe illness due to coronavirus when compared to others. Although WHO did advise pregnant women to wash their hands on a frequent basis, maintain respiratory hygiene and avoid any place which is crowded as preventive measures. In India, fetal protection and maternal health are a concern in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, but the study of maternal-fetal transmission of the virus is difficult for physicians. This is because the level of infection is small and there are not enough cases in India that doctors can “control vulnerability of pregnant women”
When four infants in China who were born to pregnant women with the coronavirus were tested, they did not develop any of the symptoms of coronavirus or got the virus. So as of now, it’s not clear if a pregnant woman with COVID-19 can transmit the virus to her baby. Also, no study implies that the virus can be found in the breast milk of women with COVID-19. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advises that it’s best for the moms who have COVID-19 to express their milk and choose a healthy caregiver that can feed the breast milk to the baby. A mom with COVID-19 that wants to directly breastfeed needs to:
- Use a cloth (or facemask—if available) to cover her face and nose.
- Wash her hands and breast thoroughly before and after touching her baby.
- Constantly clean surfaces she touches.
Also, for now, there are no special treatments for pregnant women with coronavirus. It is best for them to follow the instructions given by doctors.
