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COVID-19: New Pregnancy Precautions 'Not Based on New Science'

Yesterday, the Government advised pregnant women to take extra self-isolation precautions over coronavirus but the Royal Colleges say that wasn't based on new information.

Guidance on the management of COVID-19 in pregnancy was issued earlier in the month saying that pregnant women do not appear to be more susceptible to the consequences of coronavirus than the general population.

'Purely Precautionary'

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) are clarifying what was announced to reassure pregnant women and health professionals.

In a statement, they reiterate "that there is currently no new evidence to suggest that pregnant women are at greater risk from coronavirus (COVID-19) than other healthy individuals, or that they can pass the infection to their baby while pregnant".

They describe yesterday’s announcement as "a purely a precautionary measure, to reduce the theoretical risk to the baby’s growth and a risk of preterm birth should the mother become unwell". 

Advice

Dr Edward Morris, RCOG president, said: "We welcome this precautionary approach as COVID-19 is a new virus, but would like to reassure pregnant women that, as things stand, no new evidence has come to light suggesting they are at higher risk of becoming seriously unwell compared with other healthy individuals. Research and data are key to monitoring the ongoing situation and the UK Obstetric Surveillance System – UKOSS – will monitor all cases of pregnant women who have a diagnosis of coronavirus.

"Pregnant women who can work from home should do so. If you can’t work from home, if you work in a public-facing role that can be modified appropriately to minimise your exposure, this should be considered and discussed with your occupational health team. We await more detailed guidance from the Government about what modifications should be made for pregnant women who cannot work from home."

Gill Walton, RCM CEO, said: "We understand this must be an unsettling time for pregnant women, but we would like to emphasise that attending antenatal and postnatal care when you are pregnant and have a new baby is essential to ensure the wellbeing of pregnant women and their babies, and we would urge all pregnant women who are well to attend their care as normal. If you are pregnant and have symptoms of possible coronavirus infection, you should call to defer routine visits until after the isolation period is over.”

Professor Russell Viner, RCPCH president, said: "It’s right that as we gain a better understanding of this virus, we continually review and update the evidence. We know this is a difficult time for many people, not least worried parents. While guidance for pregnant women has been updated, it remains the same for new mums and babies. We don’t want to see the mother and baby separated, even when the mother tests positive for coronavirus. Similarly, our advice is that it’s fine to breastfeed – any potential risks are outweighed by the benefits. We will continue to review the evidence as it emerges."

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