Pregnancy checkups during the pandemic
Pregnant women are not at greater risk of becoming infected with COVID-19 then other people and you are not at greater risk of getting complications. However, all pregnant women from 28 weeks onwards are more prone to get complications with any respiratory infection (not just COVID-19), as your belly is growing and your lungs have less space. Fortunately there is no evidence that a COVID-19 infection can cause a miscarriage or any birth defects.
To date, relatively few pregnant women have been infected with the corona virus in the Netherlands. It’s not sure why so little pregnant women get infected with COVID-19, however it is thought that they follow the 1,5m distance rule very well and practice good hygiene. Which are the most important things you can do to prevent infection.
Our normal pregnancy checkup schedule (which is also on the back of your 101 envelope) is almost the same as pre-covid. From now onwards your first midwife consultation will be held by Zoom as this appointment will take up to an hour. Your birth wishes appointment will be split up in two: a physical check-up of 10 minutes at the practice, to check your blood pressure and the growth/position/heartbeat of the baby, and a consultation by Zoom of 30 minutes within one week to discuss your birth wishes.
IMPORTANT: have you been on holiday to a country that has been given a code orange by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs? You will be in a (voluntary) quarantine for the first 10 days after you return to the Netherlands. This will also mean there won’t be a planned pregnancy checkup during those 10 days. However, if you experience pregnancy complaints, you will of course receive the care you need. Please notify us ahead when you are in quarantine due to any reason (also when it’s because you had close contact to a person infected with COVID-19).