The studies made available by the international scientific community on pregnant women and women in puerperium give us some rather reassuring news that allow a cautious optimism: COVID-19 does not seem to have a more serious course in pregnant women than in the general population.
The data of about 30 women have been reported, almost all of them in the third trimester of pregnancy, whose clinical conditions have been compared to those of non-pregnant women, if not even better. Regarding the health of the baby in utero there are not many data available, but to date no negative results have been described for babies born to mothers who had contracted COVID-19 in the third trimester.
One more good news: it seems that vertical transmission, i.e. from mother to child during endouterine life, can be excluded. The virus has never been detected in amniotic fluid, umbilical cord blood, and no children born to an infected mother have tested positive. Obviously, the situation is still evolving; we are facing a new scenario, which is under continuous monitoring.
In general, it is suggested to respect the regulations set by the World Health Organization (WHO) and national authorities, such as the FOPH and the Swiss Federal Council, whose recommendations are to be followed strictly in order to protect yourself and those close to you, including the baby.
So how can we manage anxiety and worry during pregnancy at such a particular time?
Pregnancy in itself is already an experience that alters the internal and external balance and requires continuous readjustment. The goal of stress response is to return as quickly and effectively as possible to a condition of inner balance.
Here then are some ideas for managing anxiety during this epidemic:
- Dedicate to yourself, your belly and your baby;
- If you also have other children, try to give space to everyone’s needs, without forgetting your personal needs for rest;
- Keep a journal: writing and rereading can help at a time of great personal change and general uncertainty like this;
- Collect poems, motivational phrases, meaningful photographs for you at this time;
- Read aloud or listen to your partner read: it is good for you and the child to listen to reading;
- Sing: singing helps to relax, helps to release endorphins. It also helps your baby to relax, whether it is still in your belly or has already been born;
- Visit the Nescens Swiss Stem Cell Science website to find out how to preserve your baby’s umbilical cord stem cells.
