No vaccine presently available to prevent COVID-19: UNFPA.

KARACHI -- Pregnant women should take routine preventative actions to avoid infection with the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19), UNFPA announced in a statement Tuesday. According to a UNFPA report released from New York, these preventative measures, recommended in alignment with the World Health Organization (WHO), include diligent handwashing, avoiding close contact with people exhibiting symptoms of infection, covering sneezes and coughs, and thoroughly cooking meat and eggs. Public health officials are rushing to contain the rapid spread of the virus. More than 95,000 cases have been confirmed across 79 countries, according to the most recent information from WHO, which has declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. The illness, caused by a recently discovered coronavirus, has caused widespread fears and, in some places, strains on health systems. Families, including pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers, are facing fear and uncertainty amid the outbreak.

Little is currently known about the vulnerability of pregnant women to COVID-19, contributing to a climate of anxiety for women. In general, pregnancy-related physical changes may increase some pregnant women's susceptibility to...