Brazil asked women on Friday to delay getting pregnant until the worst of the pandemic passes, saying the virus variant that is devastating the South American country appears to affect expectant mothers more than earlier versions of the coronavirus. “If it’s possible, delay pregnancy a little until a better moment,” Health Ministry official Raphael Parente said during a news conference on Friday. “The clinical experience of specialists shows that this new variant acts more aggressively in pregnant women,” Parente said. The P.1 variant, first discovered in the Amazon city of Manaus, has quickly become dominant in Brazil. An emergency shipment of the drugs arrived in Brazil late on Thursday from China, while donations from Spain are expected to arrive next week.

Source: The Nation April 17, 2021 15:45 UTC