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Original poster

Coronavirus and 7 months pregnant

177 replies

Jrobhatch29 · 24/02/2020 05:36

Help.
Im in a complete panic about coronavirus. Im 7 months pregnant and also have a 7 year old and a 4 year old.
Im absolutely terrified of the coronavirus spreading in the uk, to the point I am having constant panic attacks and refreshing the news every 10 mins. Im so scared for my baby and my children.
Am i blowing this totally out of proportion?

OP posts:
Wolfiefan · 25/02/2020 20:01

You need to seek help for the anxiety.

Alb1 · 25/02/2020 20:15

The labour ward of the hospitals won’t be full as it’s not were infected people go, midwives won’t be treating people with Coronavirus as they arnt qualified to, it’s completely unreasonable logic. I no you can’t help that, I’m not trying to have a go, but even if hospitals are busy they arnt going to fill labour wards with Coronavirus patients! Just take the normal precautions and if your anxiety is making you so ill, take time off work sick? Maybe the GP could sign you off while you manage your mental health? I can’t imagine how stressed you must be feeling, it must feel awful to be so anxious, but I really think you need to contact your midwife or GP about your anxiety

BecauseReasons · 25/02/2020 23:15

In all seriousness, it might be time to get signed off work due to your mental health then start maternity leave at 36 weeks.

You can't be teaching effectively if you're flinching every time they cough (mine watched a news update about coronavirus today and the whole class started coughing 🙄).

BalanchineBallet · 26/02/2020 10:20

Now is not the time to panic, no. Now is the time to get help for your mental health.

unchienandalusia · 26/02/2020 11:01

You need to stop listening to the anxiety and switch on the intelligent part of your brain. Panic will not help.

showmewhatyougot · 26/02/2020 12:56

Yabu

I don't believe delivery units and midwives will be first call for treating the virus Biscuit so will not affect your birth in the slightest even if it did spread. Also no child has died, and the vast majority of people have are already unwell and over the age of 65. I don't understand why so many people who claim to be terrified of the virus don't read the facts.

Zfactorstar · 26/02/2020 13:35

I'm trying to be as gentle as possible, but as an outsider looking in, your posts sound pretty unhinged. You need to get help. This degree of anxiety and obsessive thoughts are not normal.

JudyCoolibar · 26/02/2020 18:35

I've been having the usual winter cold/cough. Although I haven't been to any of the at-risk countries, nor do I know anyone who has been recently, the thought of coronavirus crossed my mind because I travel a lot on public transport.

But then I thought about and realised that, if I had been in contact with someone with coronavirus and caught something, inevitably they would have infected a load of other people around where I live and it would be national news. Guess what, it isn't.

So I have to resign myself to having a boring old typically English cough and cold. And recognise that, even if I did have coronavirus, the chances are the symptoms wouldn't be any worse anyway.

JudyCoolibar · 26/02/2020 18:36

What did your doctor say about your anxiety when you saw him, OP?

Original poster
Jrobhatch29 · 26/02/2020 20:08

I saw the therapist i see for health anxiety and revisted the strategies i normally use to manage the anxiery. It has only mildly helped as usually the anxiety is linked to hypothetical situations whereas this is a real threat. The news that 8 children have tested positive in italy has worried me more. I realise i probably sound crazy, but to me i cant understand why everyone isnt reacting the same.im really annoying my partner as well x

OP posts:
Waxonwaxoff0 · 26/02/2020 20:15

You must be able to see by the answers on this thread that this level of anxiety is not normal OP. You aren't thinking rationally because of your health anxiety.

JudyCoolibar · 26/02/2020 21:00

i cant understand why everyone isnt reacting the same.

It's because we know that realistically the chances of any of us catching coronavirus are absolutely minute, and the chances to it actually doing us any lasting harm are even lower. OP, you know that if it was in your area it would be national news. Can you try to cling on to that?

Aridane · 26/02/2020 21:07

I cant understand why everyone isnt reacting the same.im really annoying my partner as well x

Because you are mentally unwell and we are not. It is your mental ill health speaking.

Get help. Anti depressants / anti anxiety medication may help.

This is no way to live.

I would rather have coronavirus than crippling anxiety

Wolfiefan · 26/02/2020 21:40

8 children in an entire country.
Your anxiety is stopping you see how irrational your level of fear is.
If 8 people in my street had a condition that meant 100% fatality then yes I would be bloody scared. That’s not the case here.

Skysblue · 26/02/2020 22:29

Step away from the internet, especially the news and social media, it is feeding your anxiety.

You can’t control the future. Accept that and learn to appreciate what you’ve got.

There is a rather creepy phenomenon where people read about sad stuff in the news and try to feel that they are somehow involved or could be in future. Coronavirus is not affecting you and your baby. You are in a safe country with fab medical care while far away people less fortunate are dying. This is not about you. You are fine.

JoanieCash · 26/02/2020 22:54

Actually I don’t think all your anxiety is misplaced-
In the event that the hospitals are swamped with serious flu cases requiring admission (15% mortality in the over 80s), where do you think they’ll be put? It is quite possible that side rooms on all wards may be needed in order to contain people, which could include obstetrics. As previous posters have said, the risk to your kids is not high, but the risk to you as a pregnant women is much higher (hence flu vaccine offered to pregnant women).

Aridane · 27/02/2020 00:22

Really helpful, @JoanieCash Hmm

BecauseReasons · 27/02/2020 00:29

In Joanie's defence, isn't it gaslighting to try to convince someone they have a mental health problem when you think they've actually got a legitimate reason to be concerned?

Dennisreynoldsduster · 27/02/2020 02:05

I think there’s both things at play here. Yes the OP is more anxious than is normal, but this virus isn’t just the flu. Lots of people are actually concerned.

I think seeking help is very smart as it’s obviously all consuming at the moment - and that isn’t normal but it’s healthy to have a bit of fear about something that is quite scary and an unknown.

However like PP I don’t think you need to be worried about the maternity ward situation - is there any way you can switch to a home birth if you’re really concerned? That way you can hopefully limit your time in hospital anyway.

Is there anything that helps your anxiety? Would having a few extra bits in help you feel a bit more like the situation is under control a little? If you have exercises to do, make sure you do do them.

I’m surprised more people aren’t concerned, but I don’t think everyone should feel the way you do OP, as what you’re feeling sounds extreme.

I hope you start feeling better soon- the truth is none of us knows what’s around the corner but obsessively worrying isn’t going to help (easier said than done and having previously suffered really bad health anxiety I really do feel for you, it is awful and can make you feel ill in itself)

Original poster
Jrobhatch29 · 27/02/2020 05:57

Exactly. I read in one article that if it spreads here it will be at full peak by may which is when i am due. Nobody knows the impact this will have on pregnant women or their babies and thats scary. The only info out there is a small study of 8 pregnant women who thankfully had no adverse effects but out of 80,000 cases there has to be more pregnant women and that hasnt been reported. I dont think there is anyway i could have a home birth as my last two required intervvention and was hoping for a section this time. The thought of going in hospital scares me if there will be lots of people infected there. I have already started gathering some things to keep in the house.

OP posts:
FenellaMaxwell · 27/02/2020 06:08

@jrobhatch29 but it’s already BEEN here and look what happened - 2 people in York contracted it, outside of the uk, nobody else caught it and they left hospital in less than a week. 5 people in Brighton contracted it outside of the uk, and despite them going around everywhere, nobody else caught it and they were released from hospital after less than a week. One person had it in London, which they also didn’t contract in the UK, they were released from hospital too, and despite being at a conference here, nobody caught it.

The people who are dying are overwhelmingly elderly people with underlying medical conditions. There have been barely any deaths that don’t fall into one of those categories.

orangejuicer · 27/02/2020 06:11

I didn't read it but wasn't there a story yesterday of a newborn in China who was fine after contracting the virus?

Original poster
Jrobhatch29 · 27/02/2020 06:17

I agree thats reassuring about the previous uk cases. I have 3 grandparents in their 80s.one visits hospital every other day for dialysis and that worries me massively that she obviously cannot limit her hospital contact. The media reporting on every single case is not helpful but i think its niave to compare this to a flu or say it will be no worse than a cold as we have no way of knowing that

OP posts:
PixieDustt · 27/02/2020 06:20

OP it's as scary time isn't it! It's definitely heightened if you have health anxiety anyway.
The hospitals may be a bit more full by May but you'll be in the Maternity ward with Midwives. They're dedicated to you not like a nurse where they're here there and everywhere (feel sorry for them in all honesty).
I have a young DS aswell and it worries me because it's just the unknown you can't feel in control of the situation xx

LoveIsLovely · 27/02/2020 06:25

I'm in Korea and have a baby and I'm not particularly worried.

That's irrelevant though, as you have a condition that is making you worry disproportionately. Keep going to therapy as that's the only thing that is going to help you.