Why conceiving right now is the worst idea for couples

As much as the world is practising the phenomenon of social distancing, for couples, it's quite the opposite. Couples are getting lots of free time to stir up the romance and that might lead to having a new guest after nine months from now.

But talking to different experts from different verticals, all have suggested to not get pregnant right now - a strict "no" is the answer, reports CNN.

US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin warning of dire scenarios and a possible 20% unemployment rate, couples whose jobs are vulnerable in this economy are likely to think again about kicking off their parenting journeys this spring.

In fact, there is a possibility that couples might split up after this is over. Already China has reported that they have seen record numbers of divorce cases coming up after the quarantine is over.

It's time to be cautious

Dr Renee Wellenstein, an OB/GYN and functional medicine specialist in upstate New York, said although being snowed in can be a little fun and lead to romance, the pandemic is stressful for couples: "[The] libido is down and menstrual cycles may be off," Wellenstein said. "It may not be possible to conceive due to this."

But for couples who still have the urge, Wellenstein said she would "absolutely not" advise anyone to get pregnant now, due to the uncertainty swirling around Covid-19. "You can push off conceiving and getting pregnant," she said.

There are a number of risk factors, starting with the fact that there's simply less care available in many areas as hospitals prioritize more resources toward helping the surge of Covid-19 patients being admitted.

And for women who are already pregnant, each trip to the hospital during the pandemic carries additional risk.

"It's never ideal to have any infectious disease during the pregnancy due to the unknown impact on the child," Wellenstein said. "To enter a hospital puts her at risk."

"Regardless of where the science ultimately lands on the transmission of the novel coronavirus in the placenta, it's a risk not worth taking," Wellenstein says. "Once the baby is born, we know with certainty that she is at risk from any virus carriers she may come in contact with."

It's a risk not worth taking

While we don't know with certainty yet, preliminary studies available so far appear to argue against coronavirus being transmitted during pregnancy.

A study recently published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics focused on 33 pregnant women who were infected with coronavirus. It showed that in the first week of their lives, just three of the newborns tested positive.

But experts believe the babies contracted the virus once they were out in the world -- and not while in their mothers' wombs.

"As all infants had amniotic fluid and umbilical cord blood tested for Covid-19 with negative results, this is evidence against the virus being transmitted from mother to foetus via the placenta," Dr Andrew Whitelaw, emeritus professor of neonatal medicine at the University of Bristol told the Science Media Centre in the UK.

Dr Leana Wen, the former health commissioner for the city of Baltimore was sharing her experience as she is going through pregnancy right now, "If mynewborn were to get ill, she would become extremely ill because she doesn't have immunity and little babies are so fragile. And I know of so many other pregnant women who have their own anxieties at this time. Because Covid-19 is a respiratory virus, if the mom were to cough and then she coughed onto her hand and then her hand touched the baby, she could infect her newborn that way."

CDC has recommended include separating the mom and the newborn for safeguarding issues.

Wait until things return to normal

It's still too soon to make any substantive birth rate forecasts. We don't know how long this year's pandemic will remain vicious, what the long-term effects on young people are, or how far and wide a deepening global economic recession might reach.

History does have examples of a surging birth rate after tragedy: The historic Baby Boom generation is composed of those born in America's post-World War II years between 1946 and 1964.

Scholars point to many causes, but generally agree that following the tumult of the Great Depression and World War II, couples found it more realistic to raise children in the relative calm and economic prosperity following the war.

The birth rate ebbs and flows. And with any coronavirus-related baby boom, it could manifest once things feel safe again.