Women in Brazil Asked to Delay Pregnancy 'If Possible', Because of Covid-19

Brazil has warned women to postpone pregnancy until the worst of the coronavirus pandemic has passed, saying that the variants of the coronavirus in Brazil have been more aggressive in pregnant women.

"If possible, (the women should) postpone the pregnancy a bit to a better time so that (they) can have a more peaceful pregnancy," Secretary of Primary Health Care of the Brazilian health ministry Raphael Camara said Friday. "We cannot say this to those who are 42, 43 years old, of course, but for a young woman who can, the best thing is to wait for a little," he said during a press conference. Brazil is second only to the US in terms of Covid-19 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University, with 368,749 deaths and more than 13.8 million cases. Cities across the country have been hit hard by a recent surge in Covid-19 cases and deaths, fueled in part by new variants believed to be extra contagious and some Brazilians' disregard for social distancing precautions.   The country could be headed for even worse times thanks to a combination of political chaos and inaction, a team of public health experts warned this week.   In the city of Manaus, a spike in severe cases led to hospital systems collapsing, with a shortage of oxygen for patients.   "We do not have a national or international study, but the clinical view of experts shows that the new variant has a more aggressive action on pregnant women," he said.