Is It Safe To Become Pregnant During A Pandemic? [Updated February 2022]

With the launch of our Trying to Conceive program back at the start of the pandemic in 2020, we grew our Baby2Body community to include so many women wanting to get as healthy as possible for a future pregnancy. It's also brought up (very valid) concerns about becoming pregnant during a pandemic, and we've been asked a lot of different variations on this question: "Is it safe to get pregnant or should I wait until after the pandemic to have a baby?".

As we enter the third year of the pandemic, that question is still on lots of women’s minds as they consider trying to conceive. A report in 2020 published by the Guttmacher Institute found that 40% of the women they surveyed had decided to change their family plans - either waiting to have kids later, or having fewer kids in general - because of the pandemic. When we asked our community in 2022, 37% said they were still feeling concerned about getting pregnant during the pandemic.

Ultimately, that's a decision for you (and your partner) to make together. But if it's a question that's run through your mind, you're not alone. We can't deny the fact that COVID has radically and devastatingly disrupted so many plans and too many lives; but waiting around for a post-pandemic future might leave us in limbo for a long, long time. If we want to thrive, we have to navigate this new normal as best as possible.

If you're ready (or have been ready) to start your motherhood journey or grow your existing family, we want you to feel confident in doing that. The promising news is, studies around the world show that pregnant women are no more likely to get COVID than other healthy adults and there is currently no evidence that COVID will cause miscarriage or affect your baby’s development.

We’re sharing everything you need to know about becoming pregnant in the pandemic and the latest updates on TTC, pregnancy, and COVID.

What are the latest recommendations on COVID and pregnancy?

We'll keep it simple with the top bullet points:

• Studies around the world show that pregnant women are no more likely to get COVID than other healthy adults

• According to the RCOG and the ACOG, unvaccinated pregnant women are at an increased risk of becoming severely unwell if they catch covid, which can lead to them needing intensive care and their baby being born prematurely

• At present, there is no evidence of an increased risk of fetal malformations or miscarriage due to the mother having COVID (CDC, NHS)

• It is still suggested that there is a very low risk of passing COVID on to your baby in utero, and in rare cases where this has happened, the babies have recovered (NHS)

• Studies have shown that there are higher rates of admission to intensive care units for pregnant women with COVID compared to non-pregnant women with COVID. However, it is important to recognize that this could be a result of doctors and clinicians taking a more cautious approach when assessing pregnant women

• Evidence suggests that COVID cannot be passed to your baby through breastmilk (NHS)

Get the latest updates about Pregnancy And Labor During The COVID-19 Pandemic.

Will contracting COVID impact my fertility in the future?

Unfortunately, there's still a lot we don't know about longer-term impacts of having COVID and research is still ongoing. At present, there are no studies indicating that contracting the virus has an impact on your fertility. Of course, you should still take prevention very seriously to reduce your risk of exposure. Since pregnant populations are already identified as 'higher risk' for COVID due to having a suppressed immune response, it's advised to follow all preventative practices when TTC as well.

Should I freeze my eggs, just in case?

This is a discussion you'll want to have with your doctor directly. If you are in a higher risk group, at an older reproductive age, or have been advised to delay your pregnancy plans by a medical professional, then you have every right to discuss this as an option. However, egg freezing 'just to be safe' is not recommended as a preventive measure to the pandemic.

What about pursuing IVF (or other ARTs) during the coronavirus?

We know so many couples had their IVF/ART plans derailed by COVID. ARTs are time-intensive, cost-intensive, and physically and emotionally draining in normal times and our hearts go out to those who were impacted by the pandemic.

Since this is a topic that can vary widely based on where you live, what your local fertility clinics are doing based on country-specific guidelines, and more importantly your specific situation, you'll want to discuss this with your doctor directly.

Can my baby get COVID while I'm pregnant?

Research shows that instances of mothers’ passing COVID to their baby’s before they are born are uncommon and, according to the NHS, in known instances of this, the babies have recovered.

There also no evidence that COVID causes miscarriage or affects your baby’s development.

Should I get the COVID vaccine & booster?

There’s currently no evidence suggesting that any vaccine — including COVID vaccines — cause fertility problems. We have an entire post dedicated to understanding more about the COVID vaccine and female fertility and you can find it here! It’s recommended by organizations like the CDC that people who may become pregnant in the future or those who are trying to conceive get vaccinated. This also extends to their partners.

In the UK and the US, the COVID vaccinations are also considered safe for pregnant women. Here’s a quick overview of the latest findings:

• On the 16th December 2021, pregnant women were added to the UK's priority COVID vaccine list by the vaccines advisory group, the JVCI, and, in the UK, it is "strongly recommended that you get vaccinated against COVID-19 to protect you and your baby”

• The CDC and ACOG recommend women who are pregnant and breastfeeding get vaccinated against COVID, including a booster dose (third dose) after initial vaccine(s)

• Growing research suggests the vaccine does not increase the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, including miscarriage

For full and up-to-date vaccination information, we recommend reading COVID & Pregnancy: Vaccinations & Latest Research Findings [Updated Dec 2021]

How else can I prepare for pregnancy during a pandemic?

Here are our top 5 tips:

1. Talk openly with your partner and your doctor/midwife when deciding on when you want to start trying to conceive. New information is coming out all of the time, so please refer to your healthcare professionals as an ongoing resource.

2. Identify the primary risks for exposure in your current situation, and start planning for how you can minimize those risks and what additional prevention measures you can take.

3. Get intimate with your finances. Even if you or your partner’s job has not been affected by the pandemic, it’s important to discuss how you will manage the costs of having a baby should something unexpected happen.

4. Prioritize your own health and wellbeing. Now, more than ever, your health and wellbeing should take the ultimate priority to give you and baby the best chance of healthy outcomes. Of course Baby2Body is here to help you do just that.

If you have further questions on trying to conceive during a pandemic or what COVID means for pregnancy and postpartum, please leave them in the comments below and we'll work to get you the answers you need.

Baby2Body's Trying To Conceive program will help you focus in on the things you can control when it comes to your health, including: diet (with easy to make, nutritious recipes rich in fertility-friendly foods), exercise (no need to go to the gym, we’ve got complete at-home workout plans), and wellbeing (guided breathing exercises and quick meditations to help you manage all the new stressors at this time). Download the app to get started today.

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