Guide for Pregnant Women to Stay Safe During Coronavirus

Pregnancy is thought to be an extraordinary period in a woman’s life. Due to the recent outbreak of the COVID-19 virus, certain precautionary measures should be used by pregnant women. There is no evidence suggesting that pregnant women are more likely to get the virus or that if they contract the virus, it would be unlikely to interfere with the fetus’s development processes.

As per the World Health Organization (WHO), pregnant women with COVID-like symptoms should be primary candidates to get tested for the virus as they would be more at risk if they do have the virus in their system. Pregnant women with pre-existing health conditions like diabetes, chronic high blood pressure, older age, and obesity who get infected by the virus are more likely to suffer from significant health complications.

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Guide for Pregnant Women to Stay Safe During Coronavirus

Taking the necessary precautionary measures becomes immensely essential during these times. A few precautionary measures that must and should be applied are listed below:

1. Maintaining a safe distance from people that are ill is important. The pregnant woman’s body experiences physiological changes, making her more susceptible to respiratory infections and other illnesses. A high fever in the starting months of pregnancy can lead to birth defects in the newborn, thereby making the woman’s safety a higher preference in these times.

2. Strengthening the immune system is necessary and is done by consuming food with high nutrient content. Pregnant women also require high amounts of protein and calcium, which can be supplied to them in legumes, dairy products like milk and yogurt, salmon and eggs, green leafy vegetables, and lean meat. Like Zinc and vitamin D, some essentials elements are required and supplemented to make the immunity system more robust. In addition to these diet changes, getting some exercise is also a requirement.

3. Proper sanitization methods should be in place to avoid any chance of possible infection—the WHO requires people to wash their hands the right way for a minimum of 20 seconds. Pregnant women have to follow this very diligently and have to keep their hands clean by frequent washing with their desired sanitizer or soap.

4. Staying in constant contact with their medical professional is a must for women in the pandemic. The Government of India advises that self-medication or self-assessment is not adequate. Hence, pregnant women should seek help from a medical professional and even visit the hospital for a routine check-up and take prescribed medications when they feel ill. Whenever they visit the hospital, they are required to wear a mask and maintain the social distancing protocols in place at the hospital.

5. Getting enough sleep is an obvious measure but is sometimes not followed due to stress and work. Pregnant women need to get the most rest possible to maintain a healthy and energetic mind and body. Lack of sleep decreases the body’s immunity and makes the body more susceptible to infections and other illnesses. Rest is also required for the healthy growth of the baby.

6. Having health insurance is a must because the cost of treatment of Covid-19 is high and the maternity costs are also considerable.

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Conclusion

Pregnant women should take immense care of themselves during these times when the world is affected by the Covid-19 virus to ensure that their child’s growth is not affected and both of them and their child remain healthy. To ensure that this is the case, the measures stated should be taught in the woman’s life and strictly followed.

Disclaimer: This article is issued in the general public interest and meant for general information purposes only. Readers are advised not to rely on the contents of the article as conclusive in nature and should research further or consult an expert in this regard.​