PREGNANCY AND COVID-19

During this uncertain times, it is extremely vital to find ways and means to remain calm and relaxed especially for pregnant women. Whether it is reading a book, taking a bath or exercising, taking time out each day to unwind and by giving your mind and body the rest it needs during this very stressful period, will go a long way in helping to reduce any tension and anxiety which you may be experiencing.

During the period of this lockdown, it is very important to keep yourself and your unborn baby healthy and well. Eliminating food containing pesticides, added preservatives, chemicals, hormones and avoiding food that are rich in sugar will go some way to helping you feel better. Exercising, whether it is yoga or a home workout that is safe for you to do or even walking around the house, will leave you feeling brighter and happier thanks to the endorphins you release when moving your body. Regular exercise has proven to boost circulation to your reproductive organs and to your immune system, and helps you maintain a healthy  body and mind.

It is important to ensure that you regularly wash your hands thoroughly for 20 seconds in line with the advice of the authorities and avoid touching your face. If you need to go out for essentials or if you are a frontliner, ensure you following the recommendation for social distancing and to wear a face mask; otherwise self-isolate at home as far as possible. When you need to travel to the hospital or the clinic for an appointment or for anything else, avoid public transportation if you can. 

With the lockdown in place, online classes are a great way to access antenatal and postnatal information from the comfort of your own home. Antenatal education teaches women about how their body is designed to work perfectly in birth from a physiological and psychological perspective. It also equips them with relaxation tools and techniques that facilitates a quicker, easier and more comfortable birth, and helps them to understand why it is important to remain calm and relaxed and how best to achieve them. 

Pregnant women with underlying health conditions should be in self-isolation during this pandemic. However, there is no evidence to suggest pregnant women are at a greater risk from Covid-19 infection. There is also no evidence which suggest Covid-19 infection increases the risk of miscarriage or early pregnancy loss. It is expected that the majority of the infected pregnant women will experience only mild or moderate flu like symptoms. While the data is currently limited, it is reassuring to know that there is no evidence that the virus can pass to the baby during pregnancy. It is also considered highly unlikely that if you are infected with the virus, it will cause abnormalities in your unborn baby. At present, there is no evidence that the virus can be carried in breast milk. So it is generally felt the benefits of breastfeeding outweigh any potential risk of transmission of the virus through breast milk. 

When a vaccine is finally developed for the Covid-19 virus, scientists must first balance the risk and benefits before offering the vaccine to pregnant women. The researchers would need to know the nature and the prevalence of the disease in pregnant women, as well as any potentially dangerous side effects from taking the vaccine.  

As usual, we remind you to take your Memo Plus Gold daily. It will help to keep you alert and mentally sharp. For more information or to order for Memo Plus Gold, please visit :  https://oze.my/