Chelsea’s chat came through late on a Wednesday afternoon: “Hi, I’m 23 weeks pregnant and have plans to visit my family in a different state this holiday season. My sister just had a baby and is breastfeeding, and my grandparents will also be there, so I want to be as safe as possible with COVID-19 still spreading. What do you think I should do?” With Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa all quickly approaching, questions like this are coming into our chat service more frequently. …
The Baby Blog: COVID-19
Stress, Pregnancy & the COVID-19 Pandemic: When You Have Anxiety about Having Anxiety
Sometimes we have anxiety about…well, having anxiety. Kristen contacted MotherToBaby and was asking about ways to manage her already extremely high anxiety around pregnancy and birth during the pandemic. Should I even try to get pregnant right now? How will I deal with my anxiety and stress if I do become pregnant? What if almost no one in my family can even come to the hospital when I go into labor? How can I deal with my anxiety during labor and birth? I could tell she had a tremendous amount …
Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Help Us Monitor the Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Pregnancy MotherToBaby is seeking volunteers to participate in an observational study to better understand coronavirus (COVID-19) infection in pregnancy. Participants can have confirmed or suspected COVID-19 infection. All of our research is conducted by phone — no changes to your normal routine or travel are required. Qualifying pregnancies may also be eligible for optional, no-cost antibody testing up to two times in pregnancy if you are willing …
Pregnant & the Flu Vaccine? Why It’s More Important Than Ever during the COVID-19 Pandemic
“I just found out I am pregnant. I’ve heard that it is really important to get the flu shot this fall, but is it still OK now that I am pregnant?” The woman on the other end of the phone line sounded cautious and concerned. I told her, “I’m so glad you called to ask about this. The influenza vaccination may be even more important for pregnant women. The coronavirus pandemic has given us a lot to worry about without adding influenza infections to the mix. Let …
Asthma
Help Us Understand the Effects of Asthma in Pregnancy Many women need to take medication during pregnancy to appropriately manage their asthma. Yet fewer than 10% of medications have enough information to determine their safety for use in pregnancy — this is where we need you as our partner! Do you have asthma? Are you currently pregnant? If you answered “yes” to both of these questions, you may be able to help us advance our knowledge of how asthma and its management can …
