Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 concerning maternal and newborn health
The COVID-19 pandemic reaches every country around the world and we are concerned about the most vulnerable ones because they could be at highest risk. Nevertheless, at the moment, there is no reason to assume that babies, both term and preterm are the prime target of this virus, which is rather reassuring.
(Read more about this in an interview with Professor Christoph Bührer).
This FAQ is intended to be a guide but cannot and should not be a substitute for in-depth discussion with your doctor, midwife or nurse. Please make a note of any questions you may have on the subjects covered in this FAQ for your doctor, midwife or nurse to answer at your next appointment.
For extensive, valid and up-to-date information about COVID-19 please visit the website of your national, regional or local governmental health institutions or the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO website provides information in several languages.
Procedures of how to handle the pandemic vary from country to country and even between hospitals. Please make sure that you keep yourself informed about national regulations, which your national health governmental institution normally provides, and stay in close contact with your healthcare expert team to know how they proceed to work. Some of them might even offer support via digital channels.
In times of social distancing, you might miss the exchange with other parents who are in the same situation as you are. Did you know that there are national parent organisations in nearly every country of the world? Some of the parent organisations offer webinars and organise online get-togethers via video chat or texting. It is recommendable to reach out to them.
Here is a list of the parent organisations we work with.
The FAQ could not be finalised without the kindly support of Professor Christoph Bührer, Medical Director Department of Neonatology, Charité Berlin and Doctor Dietmar Schlembach, Head of Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Vivantes Clinic Berlin-Neukölln.
This FAQ is also available in:
We greatly appreciate the efforts and support of our partner parent organisations Unu si Unu and for Melletted a Helyem Egyesület for the translation of the FAQ and making it accessible via their websites.