PRAGUE/MILAN (Reuters) – To prepare for the birth of her first child, Veronika Legat, a 35-year-old Czech lawyer, has cut off contact with her family and friends to avoid getting ill from the coronavirus or even catching a mild cold.
A 39-year-old pregnant woman warns about the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) from a hospital bed in Margate, Britain March 25, 2020 in this still image taken from social media video taken March 25, 2020. Karen Mannering via REUTERS
Her hospital told her that if she had any symptoms of a cold, a fever or runny nose, her newborn baby, due in April, may be isolated from her for two weeks as a precaution against the new disease. She might not be allowed to breastfeed.
“I’m not afraid of the virus but I feel angry,” Legat said from her home in Prague. “Until the birth, we are staying home, and won’t meet with anyone.”
As the coronavirus pandemic sweeps across Europe, prompting restrictions on public life and putting unprecedented strain on hospitals, pregnant women like Legat are preparing to give birth with a mixture of anxiety, anger and hope.
Some are worried about being separated from their babies. Others regret not being able to have a partner present at the birth. Many are having to accept reduced pre-natal medical appointments.
Healthcare authorities have introduced varying rules in different countries, deciding whether a woman can be accompanied d