OB-GYN talks keeping expectant mothers safe during COVID-19 outbreak

For first-time moms, fear and anxiety over the coronavirus could be heightened.

News 12 Staff

Mar 18, 2020, 12:06 PM

Updated 1,660 days ago

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For first-time moms, fear and anxiety over the coronavirus could be heightened.
News 12 spoke to Dr. Cyrus McCalla, an OB-GYN at Brookdale Hospital, who explained what they're doing to keep mothers and babies happy and healthy before, during and after delivery.
At Brookdale Hospital, there's safety in isolation.
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"Isolation rooms just in case we have a mom who is COVID-19 positive or under suspicion for coronavirus infection,” says Dr. McCalla.
Dr. McCalla says thankfully none of his patients have had the virus so far, though he says he's prepared.
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"The chances are quite high that we will encounter such an individual,” he says.
Noting that the latest science testing, he says babies whose mothers are positive for COVID-19 have not shown any transfer of the virus.
"No cultures or samples from babies who delivered were positive for coronavirus. That doesn't mean we won’t see that in the future,” says Dr. McCalla.
In the meantime, he’s advising his pregnant patients to stay away from large crowds before their due date, and once they are in labor to also keep the delivery and hospital rooms limited to one visitor.
However, there is one exception to the one visitor policy; the mother's doula.
Megan Davidson, a doula, says hospital policies differ on a case by case basis.
"If they’re really working hard to restrict possible risk, they should also really be advocating for having as few nonessential staff in and out of there,” says Davidson.
Though after the birth, doctors recommend that mothers with COVID-19 stay apart from their babies.
"This is in conjunction with mom’s permission,” says Dr. McCalla.
Through all the stress, there's always a reason to celebrate life, according to the doctor.
“Life is a beautiful thing that’s happening in the middle of all of this too,” says Dr. McCalla.