Obstetrics and Gynecology and COVID-19: What You Should Know

SARS-CoV-2 is sweeping the globe, and if you’re pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or breastfeeding, you may have concerns about the possibility of contracting the virus, developing COVID-19, and the impact this will have on you and your baby.

At Physicians for Women in Madison, Wisconsin, The Madison Midwives and our entire staff are focused on safe, compassionate women’s health care. We’re here for you as the world faces this unprecedented challenge.

What we know

COVID-19 is so new that research is still unfolding. According to the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, studies so far have found no indication that pregnant women are more likely to contract the virus, but you’ll naturally want to take every precaution recommended to protect yourself. 

According to the CDC, it’s thought unlikely that COVID-19 can be passed from mother to baby in-utero (vertical transmission) or through breast milk. However, contact between mother and baby can pass the disease from parent to child through respiratory droplets.  

Handling obstetrics and gynecological appointments

Reopening our office to all of our patients for Physicians for Women, Phases and The Madison Midwives is a huge accomplishment, but we recognize it isn't back to "normal". We aren't pretending the virus has gone away, but we're making great big strides in allowing you to safely receive the care you need with all of our providers in the office. We've set some guidelines that allow our patients to receive care while continuing to protect you and the office staff involved. Expedited rooming for your visit and minimal time spent in the waiting room will still be in effect, as will limitations to only one support person during your ultrasound or obstetric, GYN, primary care, or problem visit. Staff and providers will remain masked and each exam room will be cleaned thoroughly after every patient visit for your safety.

If you have been diagnosed with COVID-19

If you have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and are pregnant, the best thing to do for yourself and others is to shelter in place and take care of yourself while trying not to infect others. If you start having severe symptoms, e.g. shortness of breath, or somnolence, call 911, inform them that you have COVID-19 and are pregnant, and put on a face mask to protect first responders.

If you are diagnosed with a confirmed COVID-19 infection, we ask that your call our office first before coming to your appointment. This will allow us to take precautions to protect our staff and other patients while providing you with care. We may ask that your visit be a televisit if at all possible.

Education is power. We commonly refer our patients to the CDC (www.cdc.gov)  for up to date information on the pandemic and news about testing and vaccination progress. The National Perinatal Association has a comprehensive guide that’s easy to navigate and has links to many pertinent pages on the CDC website.

If you have any questions or concerns, or need to make, cancel, or postpone an appointment, contact our office at at 608-218-4835 or use our online booking system. We’re here to help in any way we can.