Your Questions About COVID-19 Answered

A lot of information surrounding COVID-19 has been circulating online, and it can feel overwhelming. Our medical experts want to make sure you are informed so that you can feel more confident about your choices during this time. Dr. Matthew Saidel, Medical Director of Women's Health Connecticut, answered your questions regarding COVID-19 and your health.

Please know you can always call your Women’s Health Connecticut physician’s office with any questions or concerns you may have. We do recommend all patients call their physician’s office before going to their scheduled appointment. Many practices have instituted temporary restrictions, please check here to see if your practice has updated their protocols.

I’m due to deliver in a few weeks. Other than visitor restrictions currently being enforced, what additional precautions are taken, or expected to be enacted to protect expectant mothers and babies?

You are correct, visitors are being significantly limited in most hospitals and doctor offices, most will only allow a single support person. We obviously don't know what the situation will be like in four weeks, but right now labor and delivery floors are being kept isolated from other areas of the hospital, and most patients are in private rooms for labor and delivery. Patients who are affected by the virus are kept isolated and staff is vigilant in caring for each patient, while not spreading the virus. At this time, there is no evidence that an unborn baby can contract COVID-19 from the mother's uterus. If a mother is infected, our biggest concern is the baby becoming infected by the mother after delivery. To mitigate that, staff would have to temporarily separate mother and child.

I am currently pregnant and work at a job that doesn’t offer work from home. What can I do to protect myself?

If you are pregnant and unable to work from home, you need to follow the same precautions as everyone else. At work, you should practice social isolation, stay 6-feet away from others, and not be in a room with more than 10 other individuals. Avoid anyone sick in your environment, wash your hands frequently, and keep your work stations clean by wiping down surfaces with disinfectant or with soap and water.

If you would like to ask Dr. Saidel a question regarding Covid-19 and your health, please message us on our Facebook page.