Should we be self isolating?

[LuLaLaLa]

I have recently found out I’m pregnant. My understanding was that all pregnant ladies should be self isolating for 12 weeks as per the gov announcement a few weeks again however it seems that isn’t the case. The RCOB gudielines recent update advises the risk for those less than 28 weeks is small and to simply practice social distancing. This is the advise coming from midwives also.

What are other pregnant ladies doing? Thank you

Hi OP, yes the RCOG guidelines are the ones to follow, so strict social distancing and work from home if possible, same as the rest of the population. If you’re a healthcare worker, you should be given the option to avoid direct COVID patient contact, but you can continue to work as usual if you choose.

After 28 weeks, things get stricter but I really hope things are returning to normal by the time you get to your third trimester!

Congratulations on your pregnancy!

Oh sorry you ask what we’re doing too - I’m 25 weeks and work as a doctor. My role was changed so that I now only do phone consultations, but I continue to go to work in an office full of other healthcare workers who are seeing patients. I am strict with social distancing and hygiene measures. I still go out to walk the dog and will go to the shops if I need to, but otherwise I’ve been staying home. I bought a PlayStation to keep me occupied!

I’m a nurse and 28 weeks pregnant, I’ve been working from home for the past two weeks and I’m starting maternity leave on Monday. I’m only going out once a day to care for my horse. Other than that I’m at home. My husband does the food shopping and I’m careful to wash my hands after touching the packaging.

I'm only 9 weeks but my work have been brilliant with getting me a laptop to work from home because I am vulnerable due to health conditions and also very high risk of miscarriage.

As such, I've reduced all contact to the outside world to bare minimum but this is more because of the risk my health conditions pose to the pregnancy ontop of covid and not the risk of covid itself.

I’m glad you asked this question because I would like to read everyone’s replies too !

I’m 9 weeks pregnant and found out I was pregnant the same week I was put on furlough leave . This was the same week the government announced the 12 week self isolation for pregnant women. Luckily I didn’t have to tell work I was pregnant as my entire company went into furlough leave 😅.

My employer wasn’t great with my first pregnancy. They weren’t horrible but I instantly got treated differently and when I returned to work after my maternity leave they made it difficult for me . I’d only returned to work for 3 weeks before finding out I was pregnant again and I did not want to be put in a situation where I was forced to tell them any earlier than I wanted .

It looks like I won’t be returning to work until after my 12 week scan and even then it might be closer to June . Geez, who knows , it could be Summer 😩

I’m worried about the government guidelines too as I don’t want to put myself at risk but I also know that (I think )legally my work can still make me work . I don’t have the option to work from home and my job is client facing . If they can legally make me work then they will or I’ll likely lose my job .

I'm 16 weeks pregnant and have been working from home since that initial announcement. & I've not left the house for anything except walks and antenatal appointments.

What everyone seems to be ignoring is that maternal fever during pregnancy is known to trigger neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism, ADHD and schizophrenia. So I'm planning to continue isolating until the baby is born.

Thanks for the replies. The RCOG (not RCOB) would suggest under 28 weeks to just social distance like everyone is to do anyway. I have a friend who is 14 weeks and she hasn’t left her house for about a month now and doesn’t plan to for another 2 months to do her full 12 weeks.

I’m wfh at the moment anyway and practicing social distancing but just wondering what to do if measures are lifted/ lessened in a few weeks

Government never announced self isolation for all pregnant women - it's only pregnant women with heart disease who need to shield. The initial announcement was pregnant women should social distance, it just happened before the blanket social distancing cake in. As others have said, both RCOG and NHS is correct.

*came in

I'm 12 weeks along; my husband has taken over the bulk of shopping because folks in our area are 70% good about social distancing, and the remaining 30% all shop at our grocery store. -_- Luckily, he's been happy to do it to ensure we're staying safe.

We've taken to having our daily exercise consist of a walk at 6am, as that's the best time to ensure we can safely walk for an hour with a significantly reduced risk of exposure (6-15 people over the course of an hour vs. 2-3 per minute during lunch).

@MichelleOR84 Check out Pregnant then Screwed (on instagram or pregnantthenscrewed.com/), they've done some great coverage for concerns about safety in the workplace. The gist of it is according to the Management of Health and Safety Regulations 1999, your employer must by law make your workplace safe for you while you are pregnant, including altering working conditions/hours to reduce the risk. If they can't make it safe or find you alternatives, you must be suspended on full pay. Again, their coverage is great, but know that your safety is #1 in the eyes of the law.

@zinrepus thanks , I just subscribed to their newsletter !!

I'm 34 weeks pregnant. I work from home. I only leave the house to do my daily exercise.

Does anyone know the reason why women over 28 weeks pregnant are more at risk than earlier weeks? I'm almost 27 weeks so would be interesting to know as I've still been doing the weekly food shop etc but will make other arrangements if I have to

@momtoolliex I think it's because 28 weeks is the 3rd trimester and it's to do with the mother catching the virus and having it when she gives birth so then the baby has a chance to catch it too.

They don't yet know of any risks in the 1st and 2nd trimester (which doesn't mean that there aren't risks, it just means it's a relatively new virus so they don't know yet).

OP, I'm 23 weeks tomorrow and was sent to WFH as soon as they first mentioned pregnant women being potentially vulnerable. My work have been great actually!
I'm social distancing rather than self isolating and just following government advice as it is for everyone so, going out for a little walk most days, occasionally going to the shop if I have to, not making unnecessary journies (I've only been out in the car twice and those were pregnancy related appointments). I don't feel more vulnerable or at risk than anyone else but just following all the precautions as obviously don't want to catch it.

There are 3 groups - the well, the vulnerable and the extremely vulnerable. Pregnant women are falling in the vulnerable but since the lockdown measures the guidelines for the vulnerable now apply to everyone e.g. Avoid large gatherings of people. This is why it looks like the guidelines for pregnancy have changed - they haven't the advise for everyone else has changed so there is no need to separate the two out.

I’m 26 weeks pregnant. I have been working from
Home since we were deemed vulnerable. I have still been popping to the shop once a week. Though as I’m approaching 3rd trimester I’m going to avoid the shops altogether if possible.

My work have been really good and I am working from home for a while. We get our shopping delivered where possible, so only leave the house for medical appointments and walks.