What is it like to give birth with COVID-19?

The COVID-19 threat, along with a lack of consistent guidance from health authorities, has left hospitals and obstetric health care providers and developed a unique strategy to keep pregnant parents and health care workers safe.

Early in the pandemic, some healthcare providers switched to telemedicine for prenatal visits, banning partners, friends, and family from making direct appointments with patients.

In the hospital, a new policy prevents future mothers from having a partner, doula, or other supporter by their side during childbirth.

It makes many feel lonely and says they were unsupported during this year’s pregnancy Dr. Jennifer Conti, OB-GYN based in the San Francisco Bay Area,Vaginal book.. ”

“All elements of that normal support structure will be demolished,” she says. “Usually even those seeking a postnatal support system cannot be there due to travel restrictions, curfew, and the risk of COVID-19.”

Loneliness and isolation during pregnancy and childbirth in a pandemic are exacerbated by some COVID-19 mothers, including Kate Glaser, a 32-year-old mother of three living in northern New York.

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After a positive test for the disease on the 39th week of pregnancy, Glazer was no longer allowed to go directly to the clinic for medical examination and was rested in his home quarantine. She felt like “10 times the flu”.

“It was very isolated,” she says. “I was worried that my husband would be in the delivery room with me. I had a lot of worries because this is our last baby.”

She wore a mask and gave birth to a healthy baby Isla with her husband a few weeks later. She was still positive for COVID-19.

Mental health problems during pregnancy appear to be increasing during the pandemic.

so Recent survey Of the 885 women who gave birth to babies in hospitals nationwide between March and July, nearly 34% of participants experienced anxiety, up from 20% before the pandemic.

The study also showed that the rate of depression in pregnant women was nearly 19%, compared to the typical rate of less than 13%.

“They don’t know what happens when they arrive at the hospital, whether or not they can send their children to day care or school. Many families also experience financial insecurity due to unemployment. I am doing it. ” Dr. Lisa Win, OB-GYN and UC Health Highlands Ranch Hospital, Colorado Women’s Service Line Chief.

“We are actively working with patients to manage stress from both the world and at home,” she adds.

In addition to depression and anxiety, many people who test positive for COVID-19 during pregnancy can add another condition to their list of emotional concerns. It’s a mother’s guilt.

“When they told me they were COVID positive, I fell into a chair and sobbed,” Glasser recalls.

She took all precautions, from wearing a mask to disinfect her hands to avoiding a social gathering, but she nevertheless said her illness could endanger her baby. I felt “incredibly guilty”.

Guilt continued during her quarantine when she was unable to see or care for the three-year-old twins.

And after giving birth, the nurse had to wipe the inside of the newborn’s nose and test for COVID-19, which prevented immediate skin-to-skin contact.

“You feel guilty when you get sick,” adds Molina, who is also the caregiver of a multiple sclerosis partner.

Both Molina and Glaser gave birth to an infant relatively early in the pandemic. There was further uncertainty about how COVID-19 affects pregnancy.

Since then, Survey Most babies born to mothers infected with COVID-19 in late pregnancy were found to be nearly healthy and healthy by the age of 6-8 weeks.

The findings should provide some relief for worried pregnant parents, but research is still ongoing.

Now that researchers have a better understanding of COVID-19 and how it spreads, many hospitals have relaxed visitor restrictions during childbirth and allowed at least one supporter. It was. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)..

The· World Health Organization We also encourage COVID-19 mothers to breastfeed, share a room with their babies, and make skin-to-skin contact, following the guidelines last updated on September 2.

While these policies and recommendations should help give people some reassurance when planning a pandemic childbirth, doctors say there is still plenty of room to improve their experience. ..

“I think it would be great if the hospital invested in an in-house doula that is regularly scrutinized and tested to support its mother during this particularly difficult time,” says Conti.

Meanwhile, social media is filling some of the support gaps for pregnant women with COVID-19.

After Glazer shares her COVID-19 childbirth experience Instagram, She received messages from moms all over the world, but all are experiencing the same thing.

“I’ve helped them through their journey. They want to know if there is hope at the end of this,” she says.

“The physical symptoms of the virus were serious, but the emotional symptoms were exacerbated, and it is very important to rely on others who have experienced the virus,” Glasser says.