In the midst of this pandemic, with millions of people affected by the coronavirus, people are reluctant to have a baby or go for fertility treatment. With the hospitals flooding with people who are covid positive, it is getting harder for people to get treated for their infertility or even have a delivery.
Covid 19 has also been seen to affect the child if the mother has been affected by the coronavirus [1]. This is again a fact that is scaring women to have a baby. But there is much factual information that is still not known about the virus and to make a big decision like having a baby should not be dependent on just mere scares. Hence we have put forward some information on how you may have to deal with fertility treatment and have a pregnancy during this pandemic. It may help you decide on whether to have a baby right now or not.
Important pointers to take away from the current knowledge on having a baby during Covid 19 crisis.
Little is known about the impact of coronavirus pandemic on pregnant women or fertility treatments. Although there are some facts that doctors have learned after handling such cases. The facts are:
There is no definite data or study suggesting that pregnant women are at higher risk of contracting coronavirus, however, there might be a slightly higher risk of severe illness.
There have been some cases in which a pregnant mother infected by coronavirus has also passed the infection to her baby.
If you or your partner is not affected by coronavirus then there is no reason to halt your plans for having a baby. However, the availability of medical help during this pandemic cannot be predicted. Although, it is not necessary that it will affect you or your plans in any way.
If you are planning to go for a fertility treatment like In vitro Fertilization or IUI then you can try finding a clinic which is open in your city and is located in a place which is less affected by the coronavirus.
Many hospitals and fertility center open or planning to open soon with the COVID 19 protocols in place as mentioned by the government. Hence, these places can be safe for fertility treatment.
If you have already started your fertility treatment during the pandemic then you should ask your doctor on how to proceed further.
If the doctors find that you are covid positive during your IVF or IUI treatment, then you may have to pause your treatment until the illness subsides.
More importantly, whatever you do, it is advised to take all the precautionary measures to avoid getting infected by coronavirus; this includes always wearing a mask while going out and sanitizing your hands frequently among others.
How will coronavirus affect my fertility in later life?
Till now there has not been any evidence suggesting that coronavirus can affect fertility. Research is still going on this subject, however, there is nothing to worry about. There is no requirement of panicking or rushing to do egg freezing. If you are reproductively healthy right now then you will remain the same even after the pandemic. However, if you are considering to get egg freezing done because of your increasing age and for a later pregnancy then you should consult your doctor.
Should I try to have a baby during the COVID 19 pandemic?
When the pandemic started, many top doctors theorized that this year because of the pandemic there will be more babies born. However, this has not been seen yet. This may be because of the scare of the pandemic. People are afraid of having a baby during the pandemic. There can be many reasons for that like they might get infected during the pregnancy, the baby might get infected by the virus, they might not get proper medical help if needed, etc. However, all these concerns are subjective and will change from person to person.
Hence, to have a baby during this time is completely your decision. There are not much higher risks in having a baby this time but having a baby is completely a personal decision.
If you don’t have coronavirus then you can proceed to have a baby without any worries. You don’t need to stress about what might happen if you get pregnant during this pandemic. Stressing too much can affect your fertility and your chances of getting pregnant may be affected by this. Hence, while making the decisions having a clear mind and don’t stress too much, make a clear and well-informed decision.
How can coronavirus affect the mother and the baby?
There is no significant data suggesting that there are issues with the mother or the baby during pregnancy due to coronavirus. There is not much evidence suggesting that pregnant women can get seriously ill from COVID 19 either [2]. There have been some issues that have been seen during the pregnancy this year, but there is no confirmation on if the issues were pregnancy-related complications or coronavirus related complications. A study done in April 2020 found the following issues in pregnant women who are infected by the coronavirus.
91% of the women had babies through C-section
87.5% of women suffered from fever
53.8% of the infected pregnant women experienced coughing
22.5% of the women experienced fatigue
16.3% of the women had muscle ache
11.3% of the women had shortness of breath
8.8% of the women suffered from diarrhoea
The following observations were made on infants:
1.2% of the infants died
10.7% of the infants suffered from fetal distress
1.2% infants were stillborn
5.3% had a low birth weight
21.3% of the infants were born preterm or premature
1.2% of the infants suffered from deprivation of oxygen
Conclusion:
There are some difficulties that have been seen during pregnancy during this pandemic, however, there is no study to claim if the complications happened due to the pregnancy itself or due to COVID 19. Whatever the case may be, pregnancy and fertility treatment is a personal decision. The bottom line is that if you are mentally and physically ready to have a baby then there is nothing stopping you.