RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The spread of the coronavirus Covid-19 has triggered a global social media alert across different population groups, raising particular concern among pregnant women about the effects of this disease on themselves and their babies.
“It is obvious that more and more countries and people are affected by this virus, a situation that is worrying all social classes and forces the development of protocols to stop the contagion as much as possible”.
“It is a time of unrest and, given the circumstances, we must remain calm and become familiar with the scientific evidence that can help us deal with the coronavirus and its effects with maximum objectivity, without losing sight of its confirmed consequences and limiting the reliability of unsubstantiated assumptions,” says Dr. Sérgio Soares, medical director of IVI, a renowned infertility clinic.
In this respect, and in light of the publication of one of the first studies on the correlation between the Coronavirus and pregnancy, the findings of which have been published in The Lancet, it should be noted that:
So far, it has not been scientifically proven that pregnant women are more prone to the transmission of the coronavirus, therefore following the same steps to prevent infection as those defined for the remainder of the population is recommended.
To date, there is no evidence of transmission of this type of viral infection through medically assisted procreation (MAP) treatments.
“The published articles and case studies have not confirmed the existence of the COVID-19 vertical transmission from mothers to fetuses. The prognosis of pregnancy, or of pregnant women, was also no worse compared to infected non-pregnant women”.
“Keeping calm is essential because, although the development of the coronavirus generates some degree of uncertainty and insecurity, the truth is that, so far, neither women under reproductive treatment nor pregnant women in the third trimester of pregnancy have displayed risks to the evolution of their pregnancy and the condition of their future baby,” adds Dr. Sérgio Soares.
“However, we must remain cautious, since the data currently available are scarce, bearing in mind the fact that for a pregnant woman any viral infection likely to affect the lower airways poses a risk for herself and her pregnancy,” he concludes.
How to avoid contagion by the COVID-19?
Wash your hands frequently;
Cover your mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing with your elbow folded or with a tissue;
Avoid contact of hands with eyes, nose and mouth; and
Before the onset of any symptoms, avoid close contact with other people.