A number of expectant mothers are dealing with giving birth while they are already COVID-19 positive.
In delivery rooms, a number of expectant mothers are dealing with giving birth while they are already COVID-19 positive, while others worry about contracting the virus at the hospital.
It's a frightening scenario that's prompting some to consider other alternatives for delivery.
One pregnant woman who had contracted the virus was struggling to breathe in the ICU of a Brooklyn hospital, so doctors delivered her baby boy via C-section two months early. He was born healthy and the mother remains in intensive care. Their first meeting was via video monitor, so he wouldn't be exposed to the virus.
Some hospitals are taking other precautions. In Thailand, newborns are being outfitted with tiny face shields to protect them from exposure.
All of the worry has some parents rethinking their birthing plans.
Tara and Jessup Coffin, a Seattle couple expecting their second child, decided that a traditional hospital birth was too risky, and have since opted for a birthing center instead.
"It was not my first choice. Given everything that is going on, it is now," Tara told Inside Edition.
The Center for Birth in Seattle has seen an increase in interest, according to its founder Tina Tsiakilis.
Birthing centers take a different approach to delivering babies. Births there are often done without epidurals. The center has also continued allowing loved ones to be present in the delivery room, unlike many hospitals who have restricted that practice in the wake of coronavirus.
"Birth is a human condition," Tsiakilis said. "It's something that emotions play into and the best place to have a baby is where people feel safest."
Through all the nerves and anxiety, Tina and Jessup say they are looking forward to welcoming their bundle of joy.
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