AAP Voices

I am an outpatient pediatrician in Buffalo, N.Y. I was diagnosed with COVID-19 when I was 22 weeks pregnant.

My symptoms started with a mild cough and nausea. After that came the chills, fevers, and myalgias. When I tested positive, I was devastated. There was so much unknown about COVID-19 and the effects on the unborn baby. I knew that all I could do for my baby was to get better.

On day 9 of the illness, the shortness of breath started. My husband took my Pulse Ox reading, it was 87%. A wave of fear came over me. I was worsening and had to go to the hospital.

In the ER, my husband was quickly asked to leave; we didn’t have time to say goodbye. I was admitted to the floor initially but decompensated and was transferred to the MICU. Thankfully, I didn’t need to be intubated. Although my doctors and nurses were kind and supportive, the hardest part was not having my husband with me.

After five days in the ICU and two more days on the floor, I was able to come home. It was surreal being the patient. It has given me a deeper understanding of how my patients feel. Being a patient is a totally different experience: I was constantly worried about what was going to happen next and if I was going to get better.

Now I am 27 weeks pregnant and my baby is doing well. I am not fully recovered, but I’m getting better every day. There is still a lot unknown about COVID-19, but I am hopeful that as a community we will get through it together.

*The views expressed in this article are those of the author, and not necessarily those of the American Academy of Pediatrics.