SOGC statement regarding pregnant woman with COVID-19 in ICUs in Ontario
Date: April 15, 2021
The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC) released the following statement regarding the
alarming situation with pregnant woman with COVID-19 in ICUs in Ontario:
The SOGC calls on the Ontario government and all other provinces to immediately prioritize COVID-19 vaccination
for pregnant women.
All pregnant women in Canada should be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
According to SOGC members, there is currently a daily wave of pregnant women coming into Ontario ICUs, many
requiring ventilators. These women are getting extremely sick, very quickly.
Pregnant women who have COVID-19 appear more likely to develop respiratory complications requiring intensive
care than women who aren’t pregnant. Providing ventilator support in pregnancy is more challenging, and the risks
are greater to both mother and child. Pregnant women with COVID-19 are more likely to have a premature birth
and caesarean delivery, and their babies are more likely to be admitted to a neonatal unit.
Tips for pregnant women:
• To reduce your risk of infection, limit contact with others as much as possible
• Avoid contact with anyone who has symptoms
• Wear a cloth face mask in public
• Keep about 2 meters of distance between yourself and others beyond your household
• Focus on taking care of yourself and your baby and don’t hesitate to contact your health care providers if
you have any concerns about your physical and mental health.
For the latest information from the SOGC on COVID-19 and pregnancy, please visithttps://www.pregnancyinfo.ca/covid or https://sogc.org/covid.