Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Covid

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

Is actively trying to conceive amid the current pandemic irresponsible?

152 replies

Skeeter2020 · 04/04/2020 21:30

After watching a discussion about this unfold on a whatsapp group this evening, I'd be really interested to hear your thoughts.

OP posts:
lauryloo · 04/04/2020 21:35

Speaking as someone who is 34 weeks pregnant atm, I would not recommend being pregnant during this shit show

lakequeen · 04/04/2020 21:36

I think you'd have to be mad to try, my pregnant friends are not having a nice time.

BlackandWhiteCat0 · 04/04/2020 21:37

I reckon so, yes.

AgentProvocateur · 04/04/2020 21:37

Yes.

AnneLovesGilbert · 04/04/2020 21:39

When you’re ttc it’s very hard to take a break or put it off but I’d be giving it some serious thought given current events. I feel for my pregnant friends at the moment, so difficult.

TenToTheDozen · 04/04/2020 21:41

Yes

R1R2 · 04/04/2020 21:41

If there were a second winter wave of infection 9 months would land you smack in the middle of it...certainly something to think about in these troubled times.

Winter2019 · 04/04/2020 21:44

Yes!

Original poster
Skeeter2020 · 04/04/2020 21:45

For those of you saying yes - why specifically? The risk to you, foetus or the health service? Or all of the above?

OP posts:
cologne4711 · 04/04/2020 21:46

Not irresponsible but inadvisable.

Helpwithaversion · 04/04/2020 21:47

I’d avoid it if you can it’s not much fun being pregnant atm

Original poster
Skeeter2020 · 04/04/2020 21:49

I'm not planning on ttc by the way

OP posts:
Oxyiz · 04/04/2020 21:52

If you have time and fertility and can wait- why on earth would you choose a time during a massive health crisis, where you won't get optimum health care?

HathorX · 04/04/2020 21:52

Personally I'd delay, I feel terribly sorry for women who are pregnant at the moment, not able to take partners to scans and appointments or labour in some cases. And if there are complications it is another strain on the NHS which really needs as much focus on the virus as possible.

Also given how financially screwed the country is going to be after all this, I'm not sure now is a good time to be adding the expense of a child to your problems.

chickedeee · 04/04/2020 22:08

I personally would not want the extra stress tbh so no I would not try to conceive at the moment.

However it is a personal choice and no-one can predict how this current situation will play out ☹️

xxxemzyxxx · 04/04/2020 22:10

I’m 14 weeks pregnant atm and it’s not fun. If you can hold off I would recommend it for the time being.

MaryShelley1818 · 04/04/2020 22:11

I am nearly 42, have been ttc number 2 for over a year now. We simply can't put it off for a while so it would mean a much bigger decision of probably deciding to give up and I don't think I'm ready to do that.

anothernotherone · 04/04/2020 22:12

Deliberately trying to make yourself high risk in the middle of a pandemic is stupid.

However if time is not on your side due to maternal age it's understandable.

If you're under 35, already have children whom you conceived easily and have no reason to believe that you'll have problems conceiving again it is pretty irresponsible not to wait until the pandemic is over.

Babamamananarama · 04/04/2020 22:19

Unless you are right at the end of your fertile years I would delay. I wouldn't want the additional stress and the added risk. Babies can be affected by high cortisol levels in the womb too so the stress and anxiety may well be handed down to them.

blackice · 04/04/2020 22:25

Yes

Cohle · 04/04/2020 22:26

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/coronavirus-pregnant-baby-risk-health-maternity-service-lockdown-scotland-a9428681.html

Scotland's Chief Medical Officer has more or less said as much.

Babyroobs · 04/04/2020 22:34

I think you'd be mad to try when the future is so uncertain unless you really are in your late thirties or something and can't wait.

Gammeldragz · 04/04/2020 22:37

Absolutely yes. I would also add it is even more so for older women as they would be higher risk pregnancies in the first place.
Aside from the heath risks, reduced access to health care and the added use of resources, I would also add the impending economic depression to the list of reasons why it would be irresponsible.

justanotherneighinparadise · 04/04/2020 22:41

It depends on age I think. If you have plenty of fertile years ahead of you then I would put it off until there is some semblance of normality again. If time isn’t on your side then I guess you crack on 🤷‍♀️

Overthinker1988 · 04/04/2020 22:41

It's a tough one. Easy to say hold off, but if you're near the end of your fertile years it could be now or never.
I'm 29 weeks pregnant now and it's not so bad. Working from home, DH also, getting shopping delivered.
Yes some maternity staff are off self isolating or re-deployed elsewhere, but I'm still having my antenatal appointments, also had to go to maternity triage the other day and was seen to as normal, staff were lovely and just getting on with things.
That said though, I would feel guilty to deliberately add to their workload by purposely getting pregnant now...so if time was on my side I would hold off.
But I think it's quite mean and judgey to call people irresponsible, women all over the world get pregnant during wars, famines, epidemics, all sorts. If we all waited for the time to be right the human race would've died out long ago.