“Just had my baby on Monday. Having to labor and deliver a baby while wearing a mask was unreal. Now he’s in NICU and we can’t visit him at the same time,” another social media user commented.
While there have been no widespread studies to determine whether pregnant women are at a greater risk of contracting the virus or whether infected mothers pass it down to their babies, early anecdotal evidence shows pregnant women do not become more seriously ill than the rest of the population, and that mom-to-baby transmission is unlikely.
Still, pregnant women are considered a higher-risk population because of weakened immune systems and should be extra vigilant about hand washing and practicing social distancing, say health officials. “It is always important for pregnant women to protect themselves from illnesses,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wrote in an advisory notice. “Pregnant women experience changes in their bodies that may increase their risk of some infections.”
The virus does not seem to be making them seriously ill, however. Research shared on PubMed in March examined the severity of COVID-19 in cases reported in pregnant women. In a study of 16 pregnant women with lab-confirmed infection and 25 pregnant women with clinically diagnosed infection, all of the pregnant women had only mild illness. None were admitted to ICU.
The study also found no evidence of mother-to-baby transmission.
Ciara’s trip to the doctor comes just one day after she and Wilson, 31, revealed that their baby on the way will be a new son.
Ciara revealed the news in an Instagram video, letting off cannons that exploded in a cloud of blue alongside Wilson, their daughter Sienna Princess, 3, and Ciara’s son Future Zahir, 5.
“YEAH!” Future screamed excitedly in the video shared to Wilson’s Twitter account, running around the yard as soon as blue smoke and confetti filled the air.
Ciara — who tied the knot with Wilson, 31, in July 2016 — announced that she was expecting baby No. 3 on Jan. 30, sharing a photo of herself in a bikini on Instagram at the time, showing off her bare baby bump.
Amid the pandemic, the family has made the best of social distancing, spending quality time together and lending a helping hand to those in need.
“What Ciara and I are trying to do is find even a little goodness in this,” Wilson previously told PEOPLE. “We get to spend quality time with our kids.”
The couple also donated 1 million meals to Seattle through Food Lifeline.
As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from CDC, WHO, and local public health departments. To help provide doctors and nurses on the front lines with life-saving medical resources, donate to Direct Relief here.
Source: Read Full Article