Beingpregnantin the United States is rarely an easy thingand thats when werenotin the midst of aglobal pandemic.
I dont like unknowns.
For starters, there is a lot that remains unknown about COVID-19 and pregnancy.
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Right nowwe dont know whether COVID-19 is one of those infections that pregnant people are more susceptible to.
And we do not have any published scientific data on susceptibility to COVID-19 and pregnancy, says Dr. Stecher.
This includes practicing social distancing, perhaps to an even more extreme degree than nonpregnant people.
basically told me she would prefer that I not even go to the grocery store, says Sedler.
Im trying to keep that mindset, but it feels impossible.
The practice of prenatal care is also changingrapidly.
Some hospitals are alsocanceling maternity ward tours, a rite of passage for many parents choosing where to deliver.
For those offices carrying on with appointments, the protocols have changed.
Ob-gyn offices are also strictly limiting who can enter.
[To have] no one is horrible.
But it is a very hard situation.
Now that COVID is here, more patients are opting for these inductions, Dr. Stecher says.
(Maries induction was scheduled for March 20.)
Dr. Stecher assures women that during deliveries we will be wearing protective equipment.
Pre-COVID, we would wear a gown, mask, shoe covers, and gloves.
Now, with COVID, physicians and nurses will be more adherent to proper medical protection and equipment.
(As long as supplies allow, anyway.)
For one thing, you may not be able to easily have a safe home birth instead.
I try and only take three people per month, Rae tells SELF.
We cant stretch ourselves too thin.
Being afraid of a hospital birth is not a good reason to have a home birth, Rae says.
The truth is, no matter your plan, this is a hard time to be pregnant.
Medicine has never changed this fast, says Dr. Stecher.
I urge people to have an open mind and be flexible with us.
We all want to put our patients and their safety first.
