How To Deal With Your Pregnancy During The Pandemic

It is physiologically normal during pregnancy to naturally be immuno-compromised (it is part of how your body doesn’t reject growing your baby). But add into that fact, knowing that local Hospitals (where you may have been planning to give birth) are heaving with COVID-19 patients, and it can feel justifiably unnerving.

Add on top of that, the fact that all our governments’ policies have needed to constantly evolve as the world tries to work out the best management to contain the virus spreading, then as an expectant mother you can’t help but wonder what is the best strategy for you and your precious family to stay well.

We thought you could find it beneficial to know some of the recommendations Maternity HealthCare workers are receiving – so you can feel reassured of what should now be ‘normal’ maternity care-plans during these highly ‘abnormal’ times

FIRST TRIMESTER
(Under 12 weeks)

Most information shared over one phone/video call, with short face-to-face meeting for physical assessment of baseline blood pressure, urine analysis, height, weight, and initial bloods.

SECOND TRIMESTER

• 12-16 Weeks: Phone/video check-up.
• 16-20 Weeks: Phone/video check-up and Anatomy Ultrasound scan.
• 20-24 Weeks: Face-to-face to check blood pressure, fetal well-being and urine analysis.
• 24-26 Weeks: Phone/video check-up.
• Approx 28-Wks: Face-to-face to check blood pressure, fetal well-being, urine analysis, and repeat bloods.

THIRD TRIMESTER

• 30-32 Weeks:  Phone/video check-up.
• 32-34 Weeks: Face-to-face to check BP, fetal well-being, and urine analysis. (From this time onwards, particular vigilance is always given to exclude pre-eclampsia and fetal growth concerns.)
• 34-36 Weeks: Phone/video check-up.
• 37-40 Weeks: Weekly contact with at least a couple of face-to-face physical assessments. Repeat bloods.
• 40-42 Weeks: Weekly face-to-face physical assessments.

REMINDER: These are guideline recommended levels of contact. Women with medical complexities or obstetric complications may need additional face-to-face care-plan appointments.

Regarding the postpartum, every country has slightly different policies, but the below is a good general overview to know how often both yourself, and your newborn, should be assessed by a maternity health professional during the postnatal period, to ensure both yours and your baby’s well-being.

• DAYS 1-2-3: Daily face-to-face contact including mother and baby physical assessments, metabolic screening, and breastfeeding support (including ideally a home visit within 24 hours of discharge).
• DAY-4: Phone/video check-up.
• DAY 5-7: Face-to-face visit, with full mother and baby wellness assessments and support.
• DAY 8-9: Phone/video check-up.
• DAY 10-14: Face-to-face visit, with full mother and baby wellness assessments and support.
• At 3-Weeks: Phone/video check-up.
• At 4-5 Weeks: Face-to-face visit, with full mother and baby wellness assessments.

The Carousel would like to thank Kathy Fray for her article. Visit kathyfray.com for more content and information