How getting coronavirus could affect pregnancy

Coronavirus poses a health risk to all members of the population, but some groups are considered to be most at risk - including elderly people, those with underlying health conditions and pregnant women.

Since so little is known about the novel coronavirus, health experts remain cautious about advice they give to pregnant women.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has previously said that there was no evidence that pregnant women are at higher risk of severe illness than the general population.

However, due to changes in their bodies and immune systems, pregnant women can be badly affected by some respiratory infections - which is why they need to take precautions against Covid-19 and report any symptoms to their healthcare provider as soon as possible.

The WHO has recommended that pregnant women who show symptoms of the coronavirus should be prioritised for testing.

Public Health England is advising pregnant women to strictly follow the social distancing measures put in place, such avoiding non-essential journeys, gatherings with people outside their household or those who show Covid-19 symptoms - and working from home if possible.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) said that women in the third trimester - more than 28 weeks pregnant - “should be particularly attentive to social distancing and minimising contact with others."

Women with underlying health conditions, such as asthma or diabetes, are likely to be more unwell if they develop the virus, the NHS says.

Pregnant women who develop symptoms of Covid-19 are advised, like other members of the public, to self-isolate.

It is not clear yet whether a mum-to-be who has contracted the coronavirus can pass it on to her unborn child in the womb or during childbirth.

The RCOG says that "in all reported cases of newborn babies developing coronavirus very soon after birth, the baby was well" - and it is unlikely that the virus causes problems with infant development.

No previous coronavirus infection has been shown to cause fetal abnormalities, according to the RCOG.

Owing to the limited data available about this new coronavirus, health experts are continuously reviewing the advice given to pregnant women - and in general are relying on previous reports and data to create a picture of the risks associated with the virus.

According to the RCOG, women with Covid-19 can breastfeed - but should take precautions such as trying to avoid coughing or sneezing on the baby and considering wearing a face mask.

The WHO advises women who are too unwell to breastfeed their babies due to the coronavirus to use alternative arrangements - such as expressing milk, relactation or donor human milk.

The RCOG says that there is no evidence showing that the new coronavirus can be spread from mother to infant via breast milk.

Other respiratory infections, like influenza, are associated with a higher risk of severe illness in pregnant women.