With fears about
SARS
growing every day, many young couples in Shanghai are putting off
plans to have a baby this year, while doctors are cautioning
expectant mothers to take extra care to avoid catching the deadly
virus.
"I
have postponed my pregnancy from this year to next year," said Zhu
Haifang, a 29-year-old securities broker.
Zhu said she put off having a baby this year because the Year of
the Sheep is considered a bad time to get pregnant by traditional
Chinese thinking. She had hoped to get pregnant later this year and
deliver the baby in the Year of the Monkey.
"But the continuous reports on SARS these days make me so
frightened. If I get pregnant in the remaining few months while the
disease is still sweeping China, both my baby and I will be in
great danger by visiting hospitals for routine checks and living in
the hospital during delivery. If I am infected with SARS, it will
be terrible for the whole family," she added.
Zhu said she preferred to wait several months and reframe the
schedule for delivering a child.
"The health of my child and myself is at this time my top
priority," she stressed.
Women who are already pregnant should take strict preventive
measures to avoid the disease, such as wearing masks and gloves,
avoiding public venues and disinfecting their homes as often as
possible, to ensure the safety of their babies, Shanghai medical
experts said.
Officials from local maternity hospitals said they appreciate the
pregnant women's precautions and they are warning expectant mothers
to be careful during this special period of time.
"At present, there is no medical evidences to show SARS' impact on
pregnancy and delivery. However, we have advised the women to be
alert," said Chen Daning, a spokeswoman for Shanghai International
Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital.
"As it is a must to undergo an X-ray examination to identify SARS
for people with flu-like symptoms like fever and cold, pregnant
mothers should be extremely careful. Because an X-ray may result in
malformation of the baby in the early stage of pregnancy," Chen
added.
If
an expectant mother is confirmed to have SARS, the huge amount of
medicines she must take could be harmful to the fetus, doctors
said.
(eastday.com April 28, 2003)