Coronavirus: pregnancy and fertility

If I am trying to get pregnant, should I stop trying because of the coronavirus?

If you do not have coronavirus there is no medical reason to change your plans about trying to conceive. However, there may be objective, psychological and emotional reasons to modify your plans. For example, there may be less access to routine antenatal care. Considering postponing pregnancy is a very personal decision. In any case, it is suggested that you talk to your doctor for specific recommendations.

We are ready to start fertility treatments. It’s okay to continue during the pandemic?

The major medical fertility societies such as ASRM(American Society for Reproductive Medicine), ESHRE (European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology) and E.A.I.Y.A. (National Authority for Medical Assisted Reproduction), suggest the following actions to clinics:

1. Do not start new treatment cycles – including ovarian stimulation, intrauterine insemination (IUI), in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and non-emergency egg or embryo crystallisation.
2. Cancel the embryo transfers. The recommendation is to postpone the transfer of both fresh and frozen embryos until the next notification.
3. Continue to provide care for women who are “in cycle”, or have urgent needs for stimulation or cryopreservation (of eggs or embryos), as well as in cases of surgery or starting drugs that could affect their fertility.
4. Postpone scheduled surgical procedures and non-urgent diagnostic procedures. Moving to and from the clinic, using lifts with other patients, waiting in rooms – all these situations carry a higher risk of exposure to coronavirus andput both you and your family at risk.
5. Give priority to telemedicine. Clinics are encouraged to minimize face-to-face interactions and instead utilize distance communication options such as conducting consultations by phone or video chat.

Can coronavirus affect fertility?

Research is still ongoing in this area. There are no studies showing that the virus has any effect on fertility. Although the fear of the effect of coronavirus has caused some women to consider egg freezing as a solution, there is no known medical evidence to consider egg freezing as a preventive measure.

For women with fertility problems, there will be no significant impact from waiting a period of weeks or a few months to start treatment. But there are cases where treatment cannot be postponed – for example, patients who are due to start urgent cancer treatments or women in their 40s, who will need to be treated individually.

What if I test positive for coronavirus?

If you have already tested positive for coronavirus, it is recommended that you avoid becoming pregnant for the time being and wait until you are fully recovered before attempting conception (either naturally or through the assisted reproduction procedure).

What if I am pregnant and I am coronavirus positive?

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), pregnant women do not appear to be at greater risk if they test positive for coronavirus;only 1% of infected pregnant women suffered serious complications requiring medical attention. However, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) notes that we still have little information about the effect of coronavirus on pregnant women and infants. For example, although it has so far been shown that there is no vertical transmission from the pregnant woman to the fetus, it is not yet clear whether coronavirus can be transmitted through the placenta. However, because pregnant women are at greater risk of serious complications from similar respiratory infections, they are considered a high-risk population for coronavirus.

If I am coronavirus positive, can the virus be passed on to my baby?

A study of nine pregnant women infected with coronavirus in Wuhan, China, showed that all the women overcame the disease and gave birth normally without any evidence of transmission of the virus to the baby. The virus was not detected in blood, umbilical cord, amniotic fluid or breast milk samples. However, coronavirus infection has recently been found in a newborn, so ‘vertical transmission’ (i.e. transmission of the virus from mother to baby in the period before and after birth) cannot be excluded at this point.

How can I control and reduce my anxiety not knowing when it will end?

Dealing with fertility problems is a process that is often accompanied by increased levels of anxiety and depression. The emergence of coronavirus exacerbates an already intense emotional state. You can contact mental health specialists, partners of Dr. Drakopoulos. It is important for early treatment of coronavirus that we all think about our duty to society and public health. Think about how your own attitude can limit the spread of coronavirus. Staying home helps limit the spread of the virus and helps “flatten the curve” so that the medical system can handle the increased workload. This can save hundreds of thousands of lives.