03/18/2020
PSA: Ladies who are pregnant... I know you are scared. I get it. But there has been advice circulating on social media that has me worried.
Facts: the hospitals in the Tampa Bay Area (and most likely across the entire US) have limited visitors to the hospital to 1. This is out of the abundance of caution, and I agree with this recommendation. I know many of you have wished to have the 3 visitors you wanted, but unfortunately that can’t happen at the moment. This is being done as a SAFETY measure.
HOME BIRTH is NOT a solution. Do not be afraid to go to the hospital. We have protocols in place to keep you infection free, and safe. It is safer to deliver in a hospital than at home. In fact, the risk of neurological injury and death is more than twofold higher at home.
Please talk with your doctor or midwife about your concerns. Don’t let a visitor policy or fear of this virus lead you to make poor choices.
The second concern I have relates to the back and forth information that is coming out. One day they say pregnant patients are not at risk, then they say they are. Please remember we are in uncharted waters. So information will change daily and it’s hard to keep up. Pregnant women by definition are immunocompromised. In the 34 women who delivered with Coronavirus (In China) they had no deaths so far. So what do we do? My recommendation is to assume that you are at risk and take proper precautions. Now is the time to stay home. Frequent hand washing. Let a husband, friend, or family member shop for you. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
Most hospitals allow FaceTime during deliveries. We do this frequently when husbands are deployed.
Good luck, and stay safe!
