As parents, these kinds of news are very alarming and devastating to hear. Our minds go on hyperdrive thinking of ways we can prevent our family from getting the virus. But what does the recent declaration mean for our children and for pregnant women? Are pregnant women more prone to get the virus? How can we protect our children?

Here’s what you need to know.

How to Avoid Getting Sick While Pregnant

Starting at 15 weeks of pregnancy, the mother’s immune system is repressed to allow for the fetal cells to grow and develop. With the immune system in an altered state, pregnant women are at risk for certain illnesses, such as colds, the flu, food poisoning and urinary infections.

It’s not possible to avoid all illnesses while pregnant but certain steps can be done to avoid getting sick and to reduce the risk of serious problems for you or your baby:

• Stay up-to-date on vaccinations.
• Take prenatal vitamins and eat a balanced diet.
• Take proper precautions like frequent hand washing, not sharing glasses or utensils, and staying away from sick individuals.
  See your doctor if you get sick.
• Wear protective mask while in crowded places or visiting a hospital or clinic. Click here to learn how to properly use a surgical mask.

How do we protect our children?

There are tons of things you can do to protect your children from the virus.

• Practice good hygiene habits! Make sure to always wash their hands with water and soap before and after eating, and after they use the bathroom. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are good too, but water and soap are the best.
• If you see someone coughing or sneezing, keep your children away from them.
• Avoid going to crowded places. With the recent outbreak, it is best to lie low and not bring your children, especially babies, to places known to have had positive cases of COVID-19.
• If they are old enough (infants and very young children not included), make them wear face masks while in very crowded places. Teach them the right way to wear a surgical mask (colored side out!!). Make sure that the mask they are wearing is right for them so that it won’t cause breathing problems. There are face masks specially made for kids!

Oh, and last but not the least, take care of yourself! If you are out all day interacting with people, you should take precautions so that you won’t bring any virus into your home. The best way to take care of your children is by taking care of yourself, too!

If you need maternal care (prenatal, delivery, postnatal), you can search for doctors, birthing homes and hospitals near you by using our HEALTH FACILITY LOCATOR. Simply input your location, then select “Maternal Care Services”  and click on the search button. The results will show the maternal care clinics within a 10 kilometer radius from your location.