Pregnancy and COVID-19 FAQs

Q: If I’m trying to get pregnant, should I stop trying to conceive due to the Coronavirus? 

A: If you don’t have COVID-19, there is no medical reason to change your plans regarding trying to conceive. However, there may be logistical, psychological, and emotional reasons to modify your plans. For example, there may be less access to routine prenatal care. Out of an abundance of caution, you may consider postponing pregnancy. This is a very personal decision, and you should speak with your doctor for specific recommendations.

Q. Will contracting COVID-19 now impact fertility later?

A: Research is still ongoing in this area. There are no studies indicating that the virus has any impact on fertility. While Coronavirus fears have caused some people to seek out egg freezing, there is no known medical indication to seek out egg freezing as a preventive measure.

Q. What if I test positive for COVID-19?  

A. If you already have COVID-19, the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART) recommends avoiding getting pregnant for now and waiting until you fully recover before attempting conception (either naturally or via assisted reproductive technology).

Q. What if I’m pregnant and test positive?

A. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), pregnant women don’t appear to be at a greater risk for illness related to COVID-19 — and only 1% of pregnant women infected has experienced severe illness that required medical attention. However, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) notes that very little is known about the effect of COVID-19 on pregnant women and infants. It is unclear if COVID-19 can cross the placenta. Because pregnant women are at greater risk of severe complications from similar respiratory infections, they are considered an at-risk population for COVID-19. 

Q. If I test positive, can the virus be passed to my baby?

A: A study was conducted on nine pregnant women infected with COVID-19 in Wuhan, China. All women recovered from their illness and all nine had live births without any evidence of transmitting the virus to the baby. The virus was not detected in samples of cord blood, amniotic fluid, or throat swabs from the newborns, or breast milk. However, the COVID-19 infection was recently found in a newborn, so "vertical transmission" (meaning passage of the virus from mother to baby during the period immediately before and after birth) cannot be excluded at this point.

Q: How can I get through this? Not knowing when this will end is making my anxiety so much worse.

A: Experiencing fertility issues is difficult enough, and is often accompanied by increased levels of anxiety and depression. Adding COVID-19 to the mix exacerbates an already stressed emotional equilibrium. Please see the advice from the ASRM Mental Health Professional Group in the document, A Message from the MHPG and ASRM on Coping During the COVID-19 Pandemic, for additional support. 

Presented by ASRM and the MHPG

Developed by the Mental Health Professional Group

Contributed by Janet Jaffe, Ph.D., Kristen Chambliss, Ph.D., Alison Fagan, Ph.D., Jennifer Riley, M.S.W., L.S.W., and Deb Levy, M.A., L.P.C.