Health

Coronavirus advice issued to all pregnant women and families by leading doctors


NEW advice for pregnant women has been issued as the deadly coronavirus continues to spread across the UK.

The latest guidance advises expectant mothers with suspected or confirmed coronavirus to attend an obstetric unit for birth.

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 Pregnant women have been issued with new coronavirus advice

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Pregnant women have been issued with new coronavirus adviceCredit: Getty – Contributor

Experts from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) confirmed pregnant women do not appear to be more susceptible to the consequences of the virus.

They also said there is no evidence that the virus can be passed to a baby during pregnancy.

The guidance also says there’s no proof at the moment that Covid-19 can be carried in breastmilk so women are still encouraged to breastfeed.

However, as a precautionary measure, pregnant women with suspected or confirmed coronavirus are advised to attend an obstetric unit when they go into labour – but their birth plan should be followed as closely as possible.

New advice

The guidance for healthcare professionals was published last night by the RCOG, Royal College of Midwives and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, with input from the Royal College of Anaesthetists, Public Health England and Health Protection Scotland.

Dr Edward Morris, president of the RCOG, said: “This guidance has been written to ensure maternity units across the country are providing consistent and safe care to pregnant women with suspected or confirmed coronavirus infection, and that every effort is taken to minimise the potential spread of the infection to medical staff or other patients.

“As this is a very new virus we are just beginning to learn about it, so the guidance will be kept under regular review as new evidence emerges.

“Over the coming weeks and months it is likely pregnant women in the UK will test positive for coronavirus.

“While the data is currently limited it is reassuring that there is no evidence that the virus can pass to a baby during pregnancy.”

 The death toll in the UK has risen to five as coronavirus continues to spread across the UK
The death toll in the UK has risen to five as coronavirus continues to spread across the UK

Gill Walton, chief executive of the Royal College of Midwives, said: “I would also advise women to speak to their midwife who will be able to keep them informed and tailor their care around their local situation.

“As a precaution, pregnant women with suspected or confirmed coronavirus when they go into labour are advised to attend an obstetric unit for birth, but there is currently no evidence to suggest women cannot birth vaginally or they would be safer having a caesarean birth, so their birth plan should be followed as closely as possible.”

Pregnant women with suspected or confirmed coronavirus when they go into labour are advised to attend an obstetric unit for birth

Gill Waltonchief executive of the Royal College of Midwives

Professor Russell Viner, President of The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said: “The situation is now developing very quickly and this guidance is based on a thorough review of the evidence – limited though that is.

“Based on current evidence, we don’t believe that babies born to women who test positive for coronavirus should be separated.

“The impact of this separation, even as a precaution, can be significant on both the baby and the mother.

“We will review this recommendation as we see more evidence in the weeks and months ahead.

“There is also limited evidence about the transmission of coronavirus through breastmilk – and based on what we know now, we feel the benefits of breastfeeding outweigh any potential risks.”

Epidemic peak

It comes as the start of the UK peak of the coronavirus epidemic is expected within the next fortnight, England’s deputy chief medical officer has said.

Dr Jenny Harries defended the Government’s decision to delay closing schools and the introduction of other stringent tactics, saying experts are assessing new cases on an hourly basis to achieve a “balanced response”.

But new measures – including those aimed at protecting the elderly and vulnerable – are expected shortly as cases rise more rapidly across the UK.

The latest figures show that 319 people in the UK are now confirmed to have Covid-19, and five people have died in British hospitals.

What are the symptoms of coronavirus?

As Covid-19 is a new virus, experts are still working to understand it.

According to the NHS and the World Health Organisation (WHO), the most common symptoms of coronavirus infection usually include:

  • A cough
  • A high temperature
  • Shortness of breath

Some patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhoea – but these are usually mild and begin gradually.

Developing these symptoms does not necessarily mean you have the illness and they are similar to other illnesses, such as the common cold or flu.

Some people will not develop all of these symptoms – and some might not even show symptoms at all, experts say.

Around one out of every six who gets Covid-19 become seriously ill and develops difficulty breathing, according to the WHO.

Older people, and those with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes, are more likely to develop serious illness.

Dr Harries said the vast majority of those diagnosed with coronavirus in the UK are “pretty well” but that they may “feel a bit rough for a few days”.

She added: “Within 10 to 14 days we will be likely to advise people with symptoms to self-isolate and we are expecting that start of the peak (of coronavirus cases) to come during that period.”

Dr Harries said cancelling big outdoor events like football matches would not necessarily be a decision supported by science.

“The virus will not survive very long outside,” she said. “Many outdoor events, particularly, are relatively safe.”

In other developments on how the virus is behaving, experts have said people infected with Covid-19 could go five days without showing any symptoms.

Researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health estimated the average incubation period of the virus to be 5.1 days.

Another study found that being older, showing signs of sepsis and having blood clots were key factors associated with a higher risk of death.

The research, published by The Lancet, examined 191 patients with confirmed Covid-19 at two hospitals in Wuhan – the epicentre of the outbreak.

NHS GP reveals the three main symptoms of Coronavirus and what to do if you think you’ve been infected





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