7 Tips For Pregnant Women To Stay Safe During COVID-19; All You Need To Know

Pregnancy is the most desirable stage in any woman’s life. They are pampered, taken care of, loved, relaxed, and much more. But Covid-19 has left pregnant women with not many options to cherish the moments. It is because one, this disease is contagious, and second the possibility of spread in pregnant women is higher. Wondering why?
Understand that a pregnant woman is at higher risk during Covid-19 because of the weakened immune system during pregnancy. The dreaded disease spreads through respiratory droplets that remain in the air after a person coughs or sneezes.

Why should pregnant women be more cautious of Covid-19?
Here is why pregnant women should be more cautious of Covid-19:

• During pregnancy, the immune system of a female goes on a toss. It is lower than the usual days; hence they can contract the infection faster.
• In the later months of the pregnancy, the expanding uterus presses hard against other organs. It reduces the oxygen supply to these body organs, making them prone to infection.
• The expecting females must save themselves from a contagious disease like Covid-19 because it is not just about them. It becomes a lot about the unborn child as well.
• We have waited for good times to come, but the pregnant women shall have to wait for a little longer. The wait shall continue till pregnant women do not receive the dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Tips for pregnant women to stay safe during Covid-19
Apart from the vaccine, here are the tips pregnant women need to stay safe during Covid-19.

1). Follow Covid guidelines and sanitization.
The bare minimum practice that every pregnant woman must do is to follow the Covid-19 guidelines. The females must regularly continue to sanitize their hands, especially when they step outside. It is essential because an expecting female has complete responsibility for the unborn child.

2). Strengthen the immune system
If you are pregnant and the one who catches the flu or cold earlier than usual, it is time for you to take extra efforts. Pregnant women must eat, exercise, and practice each action to strengthen the immune system. To enhance her immune system, a pregnant woman must include exercise in her routine. Try prenatal yoga that works wonders for pelvic muscles. Make sure that you exercise under the guidance of an expert.

You must also destress yourself and take a night of proper sleep. Stress can affect your breathing, which further hampers the growth of your child. Avoid it! Sleeping can help you relax brain nerves and other body parts. Get adequate sleep to let your immune system work flawlessly.

A healthy diet is another way to check your immunity. Take your prenatal vitamins as that compliments the shortage of nutrients in the food you eat. Right food allows your body to fight against all the diseases. Do not forget to drink plenty of water even if you have to visit the washroom repeatedly. When you are hydrated, your immune system is perfect.

Read more: Health tips & queries related to pregnancy

3). Stay close to your family
Avoid meeting strangers until we are successful over the battle of Covid-19. You never know where the stranger has been to. Also, you cannot check for their hygiene and hence maintain a distance. Instead, just stay close to your family. Tell every person in the family to not take a chance if they are in the same environment where you live. And in such times, the family can help take care of you and the baby to be born.

Read more: Moving While Pregnant: How To Make The Transition Safer And Smoother

4). Keep mental health in check
Though it seems to be a challenge, mental health in pregnant women goes upside down due to hormones’ sudden rise. Besides, Covid-19 has also bound the person to stay within the premises. It is vital that expecting females take a good check on their mental health. If a pregnant woman does not feel sound mentally, then they must try multiple ways to fight the mental health fall out.

Talk to people you like and definitely about things that appeal to your mind. Do not overthink about the last quarter of the pregnancy and the D day. When you overthink, you tend to raise the stress level in the body. And stress can affect your immune system, further posing a danger.

You can watch the best movies or follow social media channels around pregnancy and take some tips for pregnancy and aftercare. It lifts your mood. Here are some movie suggestions for you: “Nine months”, “Baby Mama”, “Unexpected”, “Juno”, “Knocked Up”, “Neighbours”.

5). Plan for postpartum
After you deliver the baby, your body is prone to high infection. Some females may suffer from extreme weakness. That is the time when the hormones get back to normal, and you have intense mood swings. When all that goes in your body, you need to be careful with Covid-19 also.

Do not let anyone randomly touch your child or you. Make sure you repeatedly sanitize your hands.

Every belonging of your child should be washed and cleaned properly. Keep a mask on your face if you need to take your newborn to the hospital.

6). Stay insured
Make sure you have a health insurance policy that covers you from Covid-19 also. You can buy the policy online to avoid any physical contact.

Buying the policy online is a cheaper method of getting insurance. If in the last case, you happen to contract the virus infection from Covid-19, your medical expenses will stand covered. Also, you can opt for health insurance with maternity cover which can be a breather in bearing the enormous medical bills for the delivery.

7). Don’t panic but read about the Covid-19 infection
Excessive information about Covid-19 can irk your mind leaving you with high standards of stress. Keep it short and straightforward but read about the Covid-19 as then only you will understand the disease better. It is essential to know the side-effects and the preventions of the illness.

FAQs:

Are pregnant women at higher risk from COVID-19?
A: Yes, pregnant women are at higher risk from Covid-19. It is because the efficiency of their immune system dips drastically. This, in turn, increases their possibility of catching the infection.

What care should be available during pregnancy and childbirth?
A: In Covid-19, you must make sure of these things during pregnancy and childbirth:

• You avoid visiting public places.
• No one should visit you without wearing a mask.
• The room and everything you use should be adequately sanitized.
• No one except a few family members is allowed to see or touch the newborn.

Can Covid +Ve pregnant women transmit the virus to the newborn?
A: In rare cases, a Covid +ve woman can transmit the disease. However, so far, the exact time of contraction of the disease is not known in the child. The disease has not affected the newborn badly. These kids have recovered faster and had mild or no symptoms.

Do pregnant women with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 need to give birth by cesarean section?
A: Not necessarily. WHO has confirmed that suspected or confirmed Covid-19 pregnant women may not have to undertake cesarean. It would depend on the individual or the woman’s preferences.

Does coronavirus affect the developing baby?
A: So far, there is not valid proof available to state that the coronavirus would affect the developing baby.

Is it safe to deliver in a hospital during the COVID pandemic?
A: Yes, it is entirely safe to deliver in a hospital during the COVID pandemic. The hospitals make sure that both the woman and the child are taken care-of. They maintain high levels of hygiene.

Read more: Health Tips And Queries Related To Pregnancy