Maternity Care

All information below, provided by the Ministry of Health and BCCDC. 

Supplemental statement regarding COVID-19 and pregnancy | March 25, 2020

  1. Pregnant women are not at more risk of acquiring SARS CoV2, nor at more risk of getting severe disease than comparable aged adults.
     
  2. Pregnant women who are not working in essential services or health care should socially isolate like all members of the community
     
  3. Women who are in essential services including health care workers can continue to work if asymptomatic and not a recent COVID-19 contact. They should use PPE precautions as appropriate for their work environment.
     
  4. Any pregnant woman who develops an influenza like illness should be evaluated, by phone consult if needed, and consideration of oseltamivir treatment if symptoms consistent with influenza and less than 72 hours since symptom onset as influenza in pregnancy can be complicated and influenza is still circulating in BC.
     
  5. If a pregnant woman develops symptoms consistent with COVID-19 and is in the third trimester (not just after 35 weeks) she should be tested and then managed according to the severity of the illness. This information should be conveyed to the facility she anticipates to be delivering in.
     
  6. If a woman develops COVID-19 at any time in pregnancy, they need evaluation and enhanced fetal surveillance (see SOGC guidelines).
  7. We need to understand more about what the impact of COVID-19 is in pregnancy and we will be establishing a surveillance and outcome evaluation program for COVID-19 in pregnancy.
     
  8. The Reproductive Infectious Diseases Service at BC Women’s Hospital is available for phone consultation for health care providers of pregnant women with documented or suspected COVID-19 in pregnancy (604-875-2161)

 

Maternity area management for PPE use:

  1. Asymptomatic, pregnant woman, general patient encounter- Proper hand hygiene as per usual patient interactions.  No PPE
     
  2. Asymptomatic pregnant women in labour- Good hand hygiene as per usual patient interaction. No PPE
     
  3. Asymptomatic women at delivery: Blood and body fluid PPE due to risk of blood and body fluid exposure
     
  4. Pregnant woman with known or suspected COVID-19 or PUI: Droplet and Contact precautions for all patient encounters
     
  5. If it is a potential aerosol generating procedure (including caesarian sections), use airborne PPE which includes gown, glove, eye protection and N95 level mask.
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