Top tips for pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic

Being pregnant should be the happiest time for expecting parents. These days, however, their excitement is most likely shrouded by stress and anxiety due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. To help ease their worries, AXA Philippines, one of the country’s leading insurance providers, offers these tips to help would-be mothers stay healthy and safe throughout their pregnancy:

Stay at home. During the entire pregnancy, it’s safer for moms to stay at home as much as possible unless there is a medical emergency. Make a plan with your doctor and consider doing teleconsultations especially for routine visits or any minor medical queries. Limit visitors at home, and be sure they wear masks and sanitize thoroughly before entering the house to reduce possible transmission of the virus.

Maintain healthy habits. Good lifestyle habits will directly impact the baby in the womb. Maintain a healthy pregnancy by eating a well-balanced diet which consists of protein, Vitamin C, calcium, fruits and vegetables, whole grains, iron-rich food, folic acid, adequate good fat such as olive oil, and other nutrients. Avoid food and beverage that may harm the baby like alcoholic drinks and raw food. Take prenatal vitamins prescribed by your doctor. Additionally, incorporate exercise in your daily routine – just be sure the workout is safe for pregnant moms.

Practice strict COVID-19 protocols. Just like everyone else, pregnant women should practice the same precautions to protect themselves from the virus. This includes regularly washing their hands using soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub, avoiding unnecessary touching of the face, wearing face mask and protective gear when travelling (only essential travels), and maintaining social distance of at least two meters with people inside or outside the house.

Ensure your safety when going to the hospital. Hospital visits for pregnant women can be risky but necessary, especially when the mother is in the last term of her pregnancy. Remember, it’s still safer to give birth in the hospital, even during the pandemic. Check with your doctor and his staff that they have infection control protocols in place, such as appointment timeslots and limitations on companions. At the hospital, always wear protective gear, such as face mask and face shield, and maintain distance from other patients. So you’re better prepared, thoroughly discuss labor and delivery plans with your OB/GYN.

Prepare for any health-related situations. Pregnancy can sometimes be unpredictable. To prepare expectant mothers for any medical emergencies, AXA offers various insurance options to prepare you for possible health setbacks, such as MyLifeChoice which can be customized into a health plan to help reduce the financial burden of medical care especially for the top three illnesses, namely heart attack, stroke, and cancer. MyLifeChoice also has customizable payment options where customers can pay for as long as they want, whether that’s seven years, 10 years or even longer based on one’s budget.

With MyLifeChoice, the possibilities are endless as the new plan allows you to practice goal-based and long-term investment planning. MyLifeChoice even allows you to be further prepared for health setbacks by boosting your investment with a Start-Up Bonus equivalent to 70% of the first year premium. This unique bonus from AXA is invested on Day 1 of your policy and grows alongside your account value.

It also comes with accident coverage benefits, providing cash in case of accidents and a waiver of premium benefit where AXA will waive premium payments in case of disablement.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a difficult time for many of us, but even moreso for mothers-to-be. Have a safe pregnancy journey by trying these tips from AXA Philippines. To know more about AXA’s MyLifeChoice Health, visit https://www.axa.com.ph/mylifechoice/health