Pregnant Wichita area woman discusses experience after being hospitalized with COVID-19

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - A pregnant Wichita area woman is home after being hospitalized with COVID-19. Tricia Lee said her symptoms were mild, but doctors took extra caution with her being eight months along.

Her symptoms started with a runny nose.

“I thought I was just coming down with hay fever. They were cutting some fields around the house,” Lee said.

From there, she developed a headache and a cough.

“All the drainage just kept making me cough and cough and cough,” she said. “Well, I ended up coughing and pulling the muscles in my stomach.”

Lee, due to give birth to her son in about a week, said she previously had COVID and knew some of her symptoms matched up with the virus, so she decided to go to the hospital.

“After testing positive for COVID, I stayed there for six days just so that they could monitor the baby,” she said.

Now, doctors say, Lee’s baby will have antibodies that were passed on to him in the womb. She said she will get vaccinated after having her baby and if she breastfeeds, doctors say even more antibodies will be passed on to him through breastmilk.

Guidance has changed since early in Lee’s pregnancy. The CDC and others now recommend getting the COVID-19 vaccine if you’re pregnant, thinking about getting pregnant or breastfeeding.

“(From the ) American College of Obstetric and Gynecology, effective July 30, it is to vaccinate while you’re pregnant said registered nurse and Via Christi Childbirth Education Coordinator Toni L. Howard.

With baby Calvin expected in a few days, Lee said she’s thankful he’ll come into the world with some protection.

“Luckily everything came out clear and now he has the antibodies,” Lee said.

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