COVID-19 Advisory: Women’s Health Concerns

You may be hearing in the news that you should stay home and avoid going to the clinic or hospital unless you have an emergency. And that’s great advice when it comes to many common medical problems. However, women’s health concerns often require urgent attention. It’s important that you speak with your doctor before deciding to delay healthcare. The following conditions and procedures are considered essential and urgent during the COVID-19 outbreak:

• Prenatal care. Contact your doctor before canceling or postponing any visits. It’s important for your doctor to assess your health and the baby’s health during pregnancy.
• Abortion. It’s critical that you don’t delay abortion care during the outbreak. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the Society of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, and several other organizations just released a joint statement that abortion care should continue at hospitals and outpatient clinics during the COVID-19 outbreak.
• Contraception. Some methods of contraception (birth control) can be safely prescribed after a phone call with your doctor. However, some methods, such as the intrauterine device (IUD), implant or injection (shot), require an in-person visit. Don’t delay contraceptive care – this could lead to an unexpected pregnancy.
• Heavy bleeding. Call your doctor if you experience bleeding that is heavier than a period, especially if you develop symptoms such as dizziness when you stand up or walk.
• Abdominal or pelvic pain. Pain can indicate a serious condition, such as an ovarian cyst, ectopic pregnancy or appendicitis. Call your doctor if this occurs and she can help assess whether you need to come into clinic or the emergency department.