Covid-19 Is Still a Risk - How to Take Precautions During Pregnancy

If the number of active Covid-19 cases are low where you live, you may feel like the risk has diminished. Plus, we've been dealing with the presence of the virus for several months now,  so it's easy to become desensitized and feel more comfortable easing up on some the suggested safety restrictions. However, the risk in the United States (and in many other countries) is still present -- especially in states that are seeing daily surges in case numbers.

When news of the virus first spread, we released information from the CDC on pregnancy and Covid-19 (Coronavirus). Since that time, we have learned more about the virus and pregnancy, but there is still a lot that's unknown. The following summarizes current findings thus far about Covid-19 and pregnancy (from the CDC):

"Based on what we know at this time, pregnant people might be at an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 compared to non-pregnant people. Additionally, there may be an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as preterm birth, among pregnant people with COVID-19. Therefore, if you are pregnant, be mindful about reducing your risk of getting sick. If you are caring for children, you can teach them everyday steps (such as proper handwashing) to help them stay healthy and, in turn, help protect yourself and your family."

Recommendations for Pregnancy & Covid-19 (Summarized from the CDC)

Remember that there is no way you can ensure zero risk of infection, but there are proven ways to lower your risk, including:

• Limit interactions with people outside of the family members that live with you
• When going out in public, practice everyday preventative activities like washing your hands, wearing a mask, avoiding close contact, cleaning/disinfecting, and monitoring your health
• Consider avoiding activities where it's difficult or impossible to take preventative actions
• Attend all prenatal appointments
• Keep face masks, hand sanitizer, and tissues on you when out and about
• Avoid gatherings/activities where people are not wearing face masks, if possible
• If possible, ask those around (outside of your household) you to wear face masks while in your presence

To better understand your risk of contracting Covid-19 based on the numbers in your area, you can check out this interactive map by counties in the United States by the Harvard Global Health Institute.