Home-care guidelines for patients with COVID-19

General advice for the care of pregnant or breastfeeding patients

Home-care guidelines for patients with COVID-19
  1. Additional resources
  2. Acknowledgements
  3. Disclaimer

See the Royal Australasian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists latest update for pregnant and breastfeeding women and those planning pregnancy in the context of COVID-19. 

The current recommendations for pregnancy and perinatal care from the National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce (noting these would be considered in collaboration with obstetrics) include the following:

  • The use of antenatal corticosteroids for women at risk of preterm birth is supported as part of standard care, independent of the presence of COVID-19.
  • The use of magnesium sulfate in pregnancy for fetal neuroprotection for women at risk of preterm birth is supported as part of standard care, independent of the presence of COVID-19.
  • The use of magnesium sulfate in pregnancy for the management of severe pre-eclampsia or eclampsia is supported as part of standard care, independent of the presence of COVID-19.
  • The mode of birth should remain as per usual care, and currently no evidence supports that a caesarean section for women with COVID-19 reduces the risk of vertical transmission to the newborn. Respiratory deterioration due to COVID-19 might prompt urgent delivery on an individual basis.
  • Delayed umbilical cord clamping is supported as part of standard care, independent of the presence of COVID-19. 
  • Early skin-to-skin contact after birth and during the postnatal period is supported, independent of the presence of COVID-19. However, parents with COVID-19 should use infection prevention and control measures (mask and hand hygiene).
  • Breastfeeding is supported, irrespective of the presence of COVID-19. However, women with COVID-19 who are breastfeeding should use infection prevention and control measures (mask and hand hygiene) while infectious.
  • For women with COVID-19 who have given birth, support rooming-in of mother and newborn in the birth suite and on the postnatal ward when both mother and baby are well. However, women with COVID-19 should use infection prevention and control measures (mask and hand hygiene).20
  1. Communicable Diseases Network Australia. Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): CDNA National guidelines for public health units. Version 6.7. Canberra: Department of Health, 2022 Content/cdna-song-novel-coronavirus.htm [Accessed 13 May 2022].
  2. Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation. Clinical guidance for COVID-19 vaccine providers. Canberra; ATAGI, 2022 [Accessed 13 May 2022].
  3. Department of Health. How COVID-19 vaccines work. Canberra, 2022 vaccines/how-they-work [Accessed 19 may 2022].
  4. Rees S, Fisher J. COVID-19 and the mental health of people from refugee backgrounds. Int J Health Serv 2021;50(4):415–17. doi: 10.1177/0020731420942475.
  5. National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce. Management of adults with mild COVID-19 (version 42.1). Melbourne, 2022 [Accessed 19May 2022].
  6. Community Health Pathways – NSW Collaboration. COVID-19 Active Case Management, 2022.
  7. National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce. Pathways to care for adults with COVID-19 (version 4.2). Melbourne: National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce, 2022 [Accessed 19 May 2022].
  8. Agency for Clinical Innovation. Caring for adults and children in the community with COVID-19. Sydney: NSW Health, 2022 [Accessed 19 May 2022].
  9. National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce. Pathways to care for children and adolescents with COVID-19 (version 2.1). Melbourne: National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce, 2022 [Accessed 19 May 2022].
  10. National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce. Steroids for people with asthma or COPD and COVID-19. Melbourne: National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce, 2022 [Accessed 19 May 2022].
  11. National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce. ACEIs/ARBs in patients with COVID-19. Melbourne: National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce, 2022 [Accessed 19 May 2022].
  12. National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce. Oestrogen-containing therapies. Melbourne: National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce, 2022 [Accessed 10 June 2022].
  13. Cagnacci A, Bonaccorsi G, Gambacciani M, Board of the Italian Menopause Society Collaborators. Reflections and recommendations on the COVID-19 pandemic: Should hormone therapy be discontinued? Maturitas, 2020;138:76–77. doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2020.05.022.
  14. Australian Government Department of Health. Lagevrio (molnupiravir) PBS Factsheet. Canberra: DoH, 2022 [Accessed 11 July 2022]
  15. Australian Government Department of Health. Paxlovid® (nirmatrelvir and ritonavir) Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme Factsheet. Canberra: DoH, 2022 [Accessed 11 July 2022]
  16. National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce. Corticosteriods (systemic) for adults. Melbourne: National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce, 2022 [Accessed 19 May 2022].
  17. Australian Government Department of Health. Guidance on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) for health care workers in the context of COVID-19. Canberra: DoH, 2021 [Accessed 19 May 2022].
  18. Infection Control Expert Group. Information about cleaning and disinfection for health and residential care facilities. Canberra: Australian Government, 2020 coronavirus-covid-19-environmental-cleaning-and-disinfection-principles-for- health-and-residential-care-facilities-coronavirus-covid-19-environmental- cleaning-and-disinfection-principles-for-health-and-residential-care-fac.pdf [Accessed 19 May 2022].
  19. The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. Melbourne: RACGP, 2021. A message for pregnant women and their families information-for-pregnant-women [Accessed 19 May 2022]
  20. National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce. Pregnancy and Perinatal care. Melbourne: National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce, 2022 [Accessed 19 May 2022].
  21. The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne. Clinical Practice Guidelines – COVID-19. Melbourne: The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, 2021 org.au/clinicalguide/guideline_index/COVID-19/ [Accessed 19 May 2022].
  22. National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce. Management of people with COVD-19 who are older and living with frailty and/or cognitive impairment (version 5.0). Melbourne: National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce, 2021 V5.0.pdf?=210701-72551 [Accessed 18 May 2022].

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