Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)

What you need to know about its impact on pregnant people and birth support workers

For Pregnant Women

COVID-19 is a new disease and we are still learning how it spreads, the severity of illness it causes, and to what extent it may spread in the United States.

To stay up to date with the CDC’s latest, check out the following categories:

• Pregnant Women

• During Pregnancy or Delivery

• Infants

• Breastfeeding

Take Steps To Prevention (from March of Dimes)

At this time, there’s no vaccine for COVID-19, but there are ways to protect yourself and your family from exposure to the virus.

1. Stay up-to-date on vaccinations, including the flu vaccine.

2. Stay home when you’re sick and avoid close contact with people who are sick.

3. Cough or sneeze into a tissue or into your arm. Throw used tissues in the trash.

4. Try not to touch your eyes, nose or mouth.

5. Wash your hands regularly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol.

6. Clean and disinfect objects you touch regularly and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe. Use hot, soapy water or a dishwasher to wash dishes and utensils.

7. Talk to your health care provider about your health and risk of COVID-19.

More information here.

For Clinicians

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Update—Information for Clinicians Caring for Children and Pregnant Women

During this COCA Call, presenters will focus on current information about COVID-19 as it relates to children and pregnant women. Topics will include infection prevention and control measures in inpatient obstetric healthcare settings (CDC’s Interim Considerations for Infection Prevention and Control of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Inpatient Obstetric Healthcare Settings) and resources available to care for pediatric patients.

• Call Materials

• Presenters

• Call Information

• Additional Resources

From AJOG—Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and Pregnancy: What obstetricians need to know

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an emerging disease with a rapid increase in cases and deaths since its first identification in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Limited data are available about COVID-19 during pregnancy; however, information on illnesses associated with other highly pathogenic coronaviruses (i.e., severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)) might provide insights into COVID-19’s effects during pregnancy. You can access more information here.

For Birth Support Workers

Check with your local hospital for their latest policy on how many people can accompany a pregnant woman to delivery. Many professional organizations such as The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologist (ACOG) and The Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN), support the presence of doulas at delivery during this time, however it is important as birth support workers to do our part at reducing transmission and protecting not only our families but those we serve.

DONA International has published recommendations for doulas and COVID-19, check it out here.

Be judicious about the news sources you run across and prepare well to keep the risk of transmission down. Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), DONA International, and March of Dimes for the latest information on keeping you and your family safe, happy and healthy.