News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
A local OBGYN has seen pregnancies almost double during the Covid stay at home order.
OBGYN Namaste of McMinnville reported 61 pregnancies from May to June this year. Last year, the healthcare provider saw only 33 pregnancies. OBGYN Namaste Medical Assistant Hannah Shay said this is a small sample size but point towards a Covid baby boom.
“Back in the 60’s, they had a baby boom of 4 million delivers in a year,” Shay said. “The trend is usually 3 plus million a year in the USA. 2018 was 3.7 million, so the numbers for 2020-2021 are going to be interesting to see.”
Shay said the Covid babies would be born around February of 2021, which is historically a lower delivery month. Shay said pregnant women have lower immune systems, but has not seen parents being discouraged to conceive at this time.
“Saint Thomas River Park is taking every precaution to decrease risks for mom, baby and the family,” Shay said. “They are following guidelines with the CDC with masks, limited visitors and testings. Mom and baby are the number one priority.”
Shay said most worries for pregnant women are related to hospital guidelines regarding delivery and postmortem. Parents should not hesitate to contact their provider if they have any questions or concerns.
