Women Are Wondering Whether They Should Stop Trying to Conceive Because of the Novel Coronavirus
In an attempt to curb the spread of COVID-19, a virus responsible for a reported 4,500 infections and 88 deaths in the United States alone (a number that keeps climbing), schools have closed, businesses have shut down, people are working from home or asked to take unpaid leave, and a growing number of states have banned large gatherings. As we adjust accordingly to ensure the elderly and those with immune system deficiencies are less exposed, our plans — both made in the immediate and for the future — have been altered. The decision to get pregnant might be among those plans.
As a psychologist specializing in reproductive and maternal mental health, I’ve had several patients — especially patients who are trying to conceive after experiencing a pregnancy loss — ask me whether or not it’s wise to attempt to get pregnant in the midst of this global pandemic. The answer, of course, is as personal as any other reproductive health decision.
Unfortunately, what most couples trying to conceive will find themselves facing as we continue to self-quarantine and practice social distancing is uncertainty. Little is known about the virus itself, and with the limited number of tests available to people in the United States, it’s impossible to know how many people are infected, how many people will eventually test positive, and how overrun our health care facilities will be as a result.
What I encourage my patients — and anyone considering trying to conceive during this time — to do is to first focus on what we do know. Recently, a study out of China, which admittedly relied on a very small sample size of pregnant women, suggested that COVID-19 is not transmitted to fetuses during pregnancy. The virus wasn’t found in amniotic fluid, cord blood, or the breast milk of postpartum women, either. In other words, what scientists know at the moment suggests that a pregnant woman cannot transmit the virus to a fetus in utero. And per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there doesn’t appear to be an increased risk of miscarriage or stillbirth if a pregnant person does contract COVID-19, either.
That's the good news. But when it comes to the health of a pregnant person, much remains unclear. According to CDC, it is unknown if pregnant people are more susceptible to the virus. (It should be noted that recently, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that pregnant people have been added to their list of “at risk” people for contracting COVID-19 and encouraged them to stay home for at least 12 weeks.) When it comes to similar viruses and respiratory illnesses, pregnant women are more “at risk,” so like anyone else during this time, if someone does become pregnant they should wash their hands, avoid touching their face, stay away from anyone with a cough or showing any other symptoms of COVID-19, and practice social distancing.
Another thing to consider if you’re mulling over the possibility of pregnancy is whether or not our healthcare facilities will be equipped to handle your necessary prenatal and postnatal care. As the number of cases in the U.S. increases, more and more pregnant women are opting to give birth at home — an option that comes with its own risks and isn’t available to everyone. People are urged to avoid hospitals, but for women going into labor, that simply isn’t always an option. Based on the limited information available, clinicians do not believe newborns are any more susceptible to the virus than they would be any other illness, and that even if a baby was born to a mom who was infected with COVID-19, it wouldn’t be wise to separate the baby from his or her mother. And while pregnant women in the U.K. have been told to stay home and avoid social settings, the government is also urging them to keep their prenatal appointments. Gill Walton, chief executive of the Royal College of Midwives, said pregnant women who are well should “attend their care as normal.”
It’s also worth asking yourself how a pregnancy during this time will look and feel. If you’re trying to conceive now, chances are you will be preparing to give birth when, hopefully, the pandemic has subsided — but it's unknown just how long it will last. It’s also been recommended, for the time being, that grandparents avoid their grandchildren, baby showers are postponed, and visits to newborns, young children, and families in general are severely limited. Building a support system that is a phone call, train ride, or car drive away would, at this time, be extremely difficult.
Ultimately, the decision to undertake pregnancy right now comes down to your health history, personalized recommendations from your health care provider, and the state of your mental health. Trying to conceive can be taxing — physically, mentally, and emotionally — all on its own, and without the growing stress of our current environment. When so much is still unknown — about the virus itself, about the number of people in the U.S. infected, and how our health care facilities and support systems are going to be able to weather the storm — asking yourself how you’ll fare mentally as a pregnant person or as someone trying to get pregnant is of utmost importance. If you’re one of the 40 million Americans who suffer from an anxiety disorder, perhaps postponing your pregnancy plans is what’s best for your mental health and as we all navigate the novel coronavirus together.
True, there is really no such thing as a “right time” to have a baby, but there are times that are better than others. In the end, you, your partner (if you have one), and your health care provider are the only people who can decide when the right time to have a baby will be.
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