BellaOnline Forums Health and Fitness Pregnancy Is it safe to visit a hospital while pregnant?

My co-worker's dad is in the ICU at a hospital. Our boss said she should not be going there to visit because she could get sick and/or it could put the baby at risk by being there all evening. She is 19 weeks pregnant.

Is this true?

The ICU is probably one of the safer places for her to be in the hospital. They generally try to cut down on outside infections in there, each patient is usually in at least semi-isolation, and the visiting codes are stricter (like no young children).

Now if she is wandering back and forth through the ER to get there, THAT is probably not the healthiest place to be. I would also not recommend her spending a lot of time in the more public areas like the cafeteria.

But honestly, she could probably catch just as many germs this time of year in the food court at a mall.

I agree with Chelle that the ICU is probably no more toxic than shopping malls and probably LESS infectious than grocery carts. That being said, I would be very enthusiastic with my hand washing procedure after my visit.

My youngest contracted MRSA during a hospital stay so I'm probably more alarmist than most.

Usually the longer you are at the hospital (as a patient or visitor), the greater you risk of secondary infections. If you are just visiting just do like my sister, an RN, did when she was working through her pregnancy:

~bring your own food or, better yet, eat OUTSIDE of the hospital
~change out of your clothes and shower as soon as you get home
~Never stick your hands near your face while at the hospital. You'd be amazed how often you scratch your eye, rub your nose, etc. If you have to, wash up good first.

Angela <><

Thank you! I will share this with her. She was very nervous about teh boss's comment because she wants to be there for her mom and dad.

Some say that visiting a hospital while pregnant is not really a good idea. The medical terms, maybe it would really be a bad idea on visiting on such place, because they say that a pregnant could easily catch some viruses and some illness. Maybe you might be better to ask your OB for that.

i also completely agree!!! ICU is usually cosidered to be the most safest place in a hospital!!! since all the patients there are isolated.. it actually does'nt makes sense that once a lady got pregnant so she should not visit a hospital just because of the risk of getting infections!! i mean one can get infections from one's own house as well!!!!