Be Well: What to Expect When Things are Unexpected

Photo via MSP Mag

Whether you’re pregnant for the first time or the fourth, it’s never quite clear what to expect from this life-changing experience. In normal times, women have many opportunities to raise all their questions and concerns during frequent check-ups.

But in the Covid-19 era when in-office prenatal visits are limited, many expecting women are going it more alone. Though they have telehealth appointments, questions pile up, especially about the novel coronavirus and when to seek help in person.

Dr. Anne Spicer, DC, a chiropractor who specializes in pregnancy and pediatric care, now sees patients through video visits and started treating acute patients in clinic again in May. Many pregnant women want to know whether they are more susceptible to Covid, if their baby can contract the virus from them in utero, or whether it’s transmitted in breastmilk. Spicer is happy to report that so far, it appears that the answer is no to all of these questions.

Other women are worried about potential restrictions on having a support person by their side during labor and delivery. “Generally speaking, you’re fine being pregnant right now. It’s the birth issues that are the big deal. Stress is really important and we’re trying to help them minimize stress with education,” says Spicer, an associate professor at Northwestern Health Sciences University who treats patients at its Bloomington clinic.

Read the full Be Well article from Mpls.St.Paul Magazine online here.