MACON, Ga. — The COVID-19 outbreak is causing anxiety for a lot of people, including expectant mothers.
Olivia Hale and Brandy Singletary are both pregnant for the first time and say the coronavirus pandemic is causing them a lot of anxiety.
"I don't feel comfortable leaving the house, like, at all," says Hale. "It's very uncharted territory, so it's very scary."
"What is our actual risk factor? We're getting different answers from everyone," says Singletary.
Chelsea Beimfohr took some of their questions to our local experts.
Dr. Champa Woodham, Director of Maternal Fetal Medicine at Navicent Health, says the virus has been around only about 5 months, so there isn't a lot of data and research.
"COVID-19 is so new we don't know exactly how pregnancy will affect their ability in terms of being at higher risk," says Woodham.
Dr. Jennifer Hoffman, Infectious Disease Specialist at Coliseum Hospital, says some early studies suggest that pregnant moms are at no greater risk than other healthy adults.
"Pregnant women seem to be roughly at the same risk for contracting COVID-19 as any other non-pregnant adult of the same age. It does not seem to be particularly severe in pregnant women," says Hoffman.
Moms like Hale and Singletary also asked 13WMAZ if they can pass the sickness to their child in the womb.
Dr. Woodham says it's more likely they'd become infected after birth by breathing in the virus.
"If a mom had COVID-19, we are going to want them to take extra precautionary measures after the birth of their child," says Woodham.
This may include isolating a mother and newborn for two weeks.
"It's not how I imagined my first pregnancy," says Hale.
Both doctors say pregnant women should not panic. They should follow handwashing and social distancing guidelines like everyone else to try to stay healthy.
Coliseum, Navicent, and Houston Healthcare are only allowing one "essential visitor" per patient due to the COVID-19 outbreak. This also applies to those accompanying women in labor.
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