Effects of COVID-19 Delta Variant on Pregnant Women and Prevention Methods

Negative effects of COVID-19 delta variant on pregnant womenmore than other people. The reason for this is that the COVID-19 virus has mutated and become more dangerous and the immune systems of pregnant women are lower than other people.

The effects of the COVID-19 delta variant on expectant mothers during pregnancy are;

1. High risk of premature birth; When expectant mothers contract the COVID-19 epidemic during this period, the rate of premature birth is higher. Research also proves this. But it would not be correct to say that all women who give birth prematurely are affected by the virus.
2. Increases the risk of miscarriage;A study conducted on pregnant women observed that the COVID-19 delta variant increases the risk of miscarriage.
3. The disease progresses more severely during pregnancy;The effects of the disease are more visible in pregnant women due to their weak immune system.
4. Difficulty in breathing;Complaints of shortness of breath are observed in pregnant women in the last months of pregnancy. When COVID-19 is added to this, complaints of difficulty breathing increase even more.

Methods to Protect Pregnant Women from COVID-19 Delta Variant

1. Hands should be washed frequently during the day;Hand hygiene is one of the most important issues for women during pregnancy. Hands should be washed frequently with plenty of water. If water is not available, then hands should be constantly cleaned with alcohol-based wipes.
2. Distance must be observed;One of the best and most effective methods of protection from the COVID-19 process is to maintain distances of at least 1.8 meters. This situation is especially important during pregnancy. Working women can take leave during pregnancy.
3. Contact with eyes and mouth should be minimized;If the mother had to go outside with her palms during pregnancy, then she should not touch her eyes and parts of her body such as her nose.
4. Attention should be paid to nutrition;In order to protect against COVID-19 or to get through this process more easily, pregnant women should pay special attention to their nutrition. It is necessary to stay away from any food that will affect the development of the unborn baby and negatively affect its own immune system. During this period, it would be more useful to get a nutrition list from a dietician.
5. Crowded environments should definitely be avoided;It is essential for pregnant women to avoid crowded environments as much as possible. They should especially not attend events such as weddings or dinner parties.
6. They should avoid travelling;Pregnant women should avoid traveling as it would be inconvenient for them to travel during the pandemic. It is especially recommended for people who have international travel plans to postpone it.
7. They need to focus on water consumption;Consuming plenty of water during the day for pregnant women plays an important role in the COVID-19 process. In this context, they need to consume approximately 2 liters of water during the day.
8. Smoking should be avoided;Smoking during pregnancy has great harm for the baby. Even if expectant mothers do not smoke, they should avoid smoking environments during this period. Clinical studies have shown that smoking makes COVID-19 disease more difficult to overcome. For this reason, it is necessary to stay away from smoking and cigarette smoke during pregnancy.
9. Actions such as hugging and shaking hands should be avoided;It is essential for pregnant women to minimize their contact with other people. Actions such as hugging and shaking hands should definitely not be done.

Follow-up plan during pregnancy and birth; It should be created by evaluating the medical history of the expectant mother, the week of pregnancy, findings about the baby, and the conditions of the center where the birth will take place [1][2].

How Does COVID-19 Affect Pregnant Women?

Effects of COVID-19 delta variant on pregnant womenAccording to research, it has been seen that it is more severe both in our country and in other countries. For this reason, women who are pregnant are advised to be more careful and get their full COVID-19 vaccinations.

The decision on the method of birth is not based on a single criterion; It should be given taking into account the safety of the mother and baby, previous birth history and current examination findings [2][3].

COVID-19 delta variant during pregnancy,It further increases miscarriage and maternal deaths, especially premature birth. Maternal deaths have become more frequent in our country recently due to the COVID-19 epidemic.

In addition, research on this subject shows that COVID-19 increases the risk of premature birth by 2 to 3 times compared to other women. It has been revealed as a result of various studies in the United Kingdom that 99% of women admitted to the hospital with the risk of miscarriage and premature birth are unvaccinated.

Therefore, women during pregnancy should get vaccinated without delaying their vaccination process. But many people, especially pregnant women, think that the COVID-19 vaccine will have negative consequences on the baby.

COVID-19 Vaccination During Pregnancy

Currently, COVID-19 vaccination is administered to pregnant women in many major states and European countries. this tooCOVID-19 during pregnancyIt is an indication that the vaccine has no harm. Additionally, there is no data on expectant mothers who received the COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy and experienced health problems in this regard.COVID-19 during pregnancyThe most frequently asked questions about the vaccine are;

Symptoms that occur during pregnancy do not always have the same meaning; In cases such as bleeding, severe pain, regular contractions or decreased baby movements, evaluation is required without delay [1][3].

Is the COVID-19 vaccine harmful during pregnancy or baby planning?

The World Health Organization has not made a statement about performing a pregnancy test before getting the COVID-19 vaccine, or about postponing or terminating the COVID-19 vaccine or pregnancy. This reveals that there is no harm in the COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy or pregnancy planning.

Women who will be vaccinated during pregnancy must be careful about infection problems. Infection in the body can lower the immune system during pregnancy. But this is not a harm caused by the vaccine. The body falls only due to infection and some difficulties caused by the vaccine. For this reason, expectant mothers who will be vaccinated need to pay extra attention to infection.

It is observed that women who cannot be vaccinated apply to hospitals more often than pregnant women who are vaccinated. For this reason, care must be taken about vaccination, especially for their own health and the health of their babies.

Are COVID-19 vaccines effective during pregnancy?

COVID-19 vaccine and its effects on pregnant womenIt is routinely observed by the World Health Organization. But no separate clinic has conducted a study for breastfeeding mothers or pregnant women. Therefore, the available data is limited for the whole world. However, based on the impressions made so far, it has not been observed that COVID-19 vaccines cause any problems during pregnancy.

On the other hand, the British royal family's gynecologist stated that the vaccine during pregnancy does not harm mothers or babies. In other words, studies have shown that the COVID-19 vaccine does not contain any chemicals that could harm pregnant women.

However, many successful gynecologists around the world have also stated that the vaccine has no harmful effects on babies or fertility.

When should vaccination be done during pregnancy?

In fact, this question is one of the issues that many pregnant women are most curious about. Since the risk of miscarriage is generally high in the first three months of pregnancy and the baby is in the process of formation, in many countries the vaccine for pregnant women is given after the 12th week of pregnancy.

According to the published (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) reports, no vaccine-related miscarriage risk has been found in vaccines administered before the 20th week of pregnancy. For this reason, there is no specific time for vaccination for pregnant women.This means that pregnant women can receive COVID-19 vaccines within the time frame of their choice.

Does COVID-19 prevent pregnancy?

There is no evidence that the COVID-19 vaccine adversely affects fertility in both women and men. There are also no reports of it affecting the fetus or placenta in pregnant women. There is no reason for people planning a pregnancy to postpone their plans after getting their COVID-19 vaccinations. BecauseCOVID-19 vaccine does not constitute an obstacle to giving birth to a baby.

References

• [1] WHO - Recommendations on antenatal care for a positive pregnancy experience- International recommendations for pregnancy monitoring, counseling and safe follow-up.
• [2] WHO - Intrapartum care for a positive childbirth experience- Guide for the birth process, birth support and safe care principles.
• [3] ACOG - Clinical Guidance: Obstetrics- Clinical guide archive for pregnancy, birth and women's health practices.