Doctors stress importance of prenatal care and warn patients not to skip appointments during the pandemic

Doctors in Port.

St.

Lucie are stressing the importance of prenatal care to pregnant patients during the coronavirus pandemic and are warning them to not skip appointments over fear of visiting the hospital.

BABY BOOM IN THE AGE OF COVID.A SPIKE IN PREGNANCIES...CALLING THE ATTENTION TOPRENATAL CARE.

IT'S A CRITICALNEED..

EVEN AS SOME FAMILIESDEAL WITH VIRUS CONCERNS.

WPTVNEWSCHANNEL 5'S DEREK LOWE HASTHE STOR<< INSIDE ST LUCIE MEDICALCENTER, DOCTORS ARE STRESSINGPATIENTS TO NOT SKIP OUT ONPRE NATAL VISITS.

43:24 DR.PETE PAPAPANOS, OBGYN, ST.LUCIE MEDICAL CENTER PATIENTSARE CONCERNED.

THEY WERECONCERNED WITH THE EFFECTS OFCOVID 19 IN PREGNANCY.

THEYWERE CONCERNED ABOUT HOW THEIREXPERIENCE IS GOING TO BE INTHE BIRTHING CENTER WHENTHEY'RE READY TO DELIVER.

DR.PETE PAPAPANOS SAYS HE'S SEENA 40% SPIKE IN PREGNANCYPATIENTS SINCE THE PANDEMICBEGAN.

AND THAT PATIENTSSHOULDN'T SKIP OUT ON CARE DUETO FEARS OF VISITING THEHOSPITAL.

50:44 EMILY KARSCH,PREGNANCY PATIENT I THINKEVERY DAY I GOOGLED PREGNANCYAND COVID AND SYMPTOMS ANDEVERY COUGH OR ACHE OR PAIN.EMILY KARSCH ADMITS SHE WASNERVOUS WHEN COVID CASESSTARTED TO RISE.

BUT ONCE SHEBEGAN TO SEE THE DOCTOR, AWEIGHT WAS LIFTED OFF HERSHOULDERS.

51:01 EMILY KARSCHAS SOON AS I HAD MY FIRSTVISIT EVERYTHING HAS BEENCOMFORTING.

AT ST LUCIEMEDICAL, O-B PATIENTS AREGIVEN PAGERS AND WAIT IN THEIRCARS BEFORE BEING BROUGHT INONE AT A TIME..

EVERYONE HASTO WEAR A MASK, HAVE THEIRTEMPERATURE TAKEN AND WASHTHEIR HANDS BEFORE ENTERING.47:55 DR. PETE PAPAPANOS WEKNOW THAT PREGNANCY SUPPRESSESYOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM.

BUTTEDGIVEN THAT COVID 19 IS ANINFECTION, YES WE WOULDRECOMMEND TO MOTHER TO BE ANDTHE PREGNANT PATIENTS RIGHTNOW TO MAKE SURE THAT THEYPROTECT THEMSELVES AS MUCH ASTHEY CAN.

EMILY KARSCH YOUHAVE TO BE AS SAFE AS POSSIBLEBECAUSE YOU HAVE TWO PEOPLE TOTAKE CARE OF.

DEREK LOWE.

WPTVNC5.