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Important Advisories

  • Your local and/or state public health officials may be making recommendations for the care of decedents and/or public gatherings that are more stringent than what the CDC and federal government have recommended. In these cases, you should defer to your state and/or local public health officials.
  • The CDC has advised if you think you have been exposed to COVID-19 and/or develop a fever and symptoms, such as cough or difficulty breathing, call your healthcare provider for medical advice. If you are concerned about a potential exposure, this risk assessment for healthcare personnel (HCP) from the CDC may be useful.

Pregnant & Breastfeeding Professionals

Updated: March 23, 2020

COVID-19 is a new disease and the CDC is still learning how it spreads, the severity of illness it causes, and to what extent it may spread in the United States. There is limited information about the impact on the virus’ impact on women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Pregnant healthcare personnel (HCP) should follow risk assessment and infection control guidelines for HCP exposed to patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19. Adherence to recommended infection prevention and control practices is an important part of protecting all HCP in healthcare settings. Information on COVID-19 in pregnancy is very limited; facilities may want to consider limiting exposure of pregnant HCP to patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19, especially during higher risk procedures (e.g., aerosol-generating procedures) if feasible based on staffing availability.

There is an FAQ on the impact of COVID-19 on pregnancy and breastfeeding on the CDC website. (While this FAQ is directed toward healthcare workers, the same advice would apply to funeral home workers.)

NFDA also recommends you follow the advice of your obstetrician. 

Your local and/or state public health officials may be making recommendations that are more stringent that what the CDC has recommended. In these cases, you should defer to your state and/or local public health officials.