How pregnant and postpartum women should protect themselves and others from Sars Cov-2 infection?

How pregnant and postpartum women should protect themselves and others from Sars Cov-2 infection?

Pregnant women have no higher risk of Sars Cov-2 infection and severe disease than people of a similar age. However, you need to know that pregnant women with Covid 19 have three times the risk of having a premature birth, or ending the pregnancy by cesarean section.

How to protect yourself to minimize the risk of infection?

• Wash your hands with soap and water or, if you can’t, use a hand sanitizer. Always do this before eating and after going to the toilet, after sneezing or coughing, after visiting a public place, after touching other people or any surface in public.
• Avoid contact with sick people, especially those with symptoms of respiratory infections
• Avoid touching your face, nose and mouth.
• Avoid socializing .
• If there are Covid 19 cases in your area, limit contact with other people. Avoid crowds, especially indoors, do not travel on public transportation during rush hour, exercise outdoors.
• When you notice alarming symptoms in yourself, wear a surgical mask to protect others from infection.

How do I prepare for a possible Sars Cov-2 infection during pregnancy?

• Take care to be physically active and try to stay in good shape.
• Get information about Covid 19 from trusted sources.
• If you have concerns about the disease, talk to your midwife or pregnancy doctor about it
• Plan for what to do if the virus causing Covid 19 is found in your area.
• Follow general hygiene rules.
• Follow government recommendations for emergency preparedness.
• Contact your health care provider if you notice symptoms such as cough, fever, or trouble breathing. Inform him or her about your pregnancy. 

If you get Covid 19, call your midwife or pregnancy doctor and tell them about your illness. Ask for information about how your schedule of follow-up visits, delivery, and maternity care will work during your pregnancy. If labor occurs while you are infected with Covid 19, it is always up to you and the doctor in charge of the delivery to determine how to complete the delivery. The World Health Organization recommends that cesarean sections be performed only when necessary. Also remember that during a Sars Cov-2 pandemic, breast milk is the best protection for your little one.