Pregnancy SmartShop formulas

Is it safe? · Pregnancy Smart

How do you prepare for a disaster while pregnant?

Assigned clinical reviewerMichael Yuzefovich· MD, FACOGDraft · pending clinical reviewUpdated

What does the evidence say about pregnancy emergency preparedness plan?

  1. Ask where to obtain prenatal care or deliver if the usual office or hospital closes. Write down a backup facility and how to contact the team if phone or internet service is unreliable. If you use a shelter, tell staff that you are pregnant and explain any medical needs when you arrive. 1
  2. CDC's emergency-kit checklist includes medicines, important documents, food, water, charging supplies, and weather-appropriate clothes. Add pregnancy-specific items you actually use. Review expiration dates and whether equipment works every six months. Ask the pharmacist and prescriber how to arrange a reserve supply and storage for your particular medicines. 2
  3. Plan for disrupted transport and basic services, not only a missed appointment. Know how your household will receive official alerts and where you can go if evacuation is advised. Keep a copy of key pregnancy information available if another clinician must see you, and resume prenatal follow-up when it is safe to do so. 3
  4. An emergency plan needs symptom instructions as well as supplies. Severe headache, difficulty breathing, chest pain, substantial bleeding, or reduced fetal movement need prompt medical attention. Tell the responding clinician that you are pregnant or recently gave birth. Do not attribute a serious symptom to the stress of the disaster without seeking care. 4
  5. After a disaster, avoid floodwater, mold-damaged buildings, and strenuous cleanup while pregnant or recently postpartum. Never run a generator, grill, or camp stove indoors. If an infant is with you, plan a separate safe sleep space and a way to feed the baby when power, clean water, or washing facilities are limited. 1

What belongs on a one-page pregnancy emergency plan?

Write downPrepare or confirm
Usual and backup maternity contactsWhere to go if the office or hospital closes.
Household contact and transport planOfficial alerts, evacuation arrangements, and a meeting plan.
Medical informationDue date, allergies, prescriptions, and relevant records.
Essential suppliesWater, food, medicines, chargers, and pregnancy-specific items.
Urgent symptomsInstructions for obtaining medical help promptly.

Frequently asked questions

What should I ask my prenatal practice before storm season?

Ask which number to call, where the practice refers patients if it closes, and how to obtain records or prescriptions. Discuss transport if you live far from maternity care. Record the answer before a warning is issued so it is available when staff are handling an emergency.

How much water belongs in the emergency kit?

CDC lists at least one gallon per person per day for several days for drinking, cooking, and cleaning, and advises considering extra water when pregnant or lactating. This is a household storage guide, not a personal drinking prescription. Plan around local conditions and the space you have.

How do I plan a reserve of prescription medicines?

Ask the prescriber and pharmacist about an emergency supply, refill timing, and storage requirements. CDC's current kit checklist includes at least two weeks of prescriptions. Your own arrangement depends on the medicine and practical availability; do not change doses to make a supply last longer.

Which records should be protected from water?

Keep identification, insurance information, relevant medical records, prescription details, and important phone numbers in a waterproof portable container. Include details another maternity team would need, such as your due date, allergies, and current medicines. A paper copy can help when a phone battery or network fails.

What if I have urgent pregnancy symptoms during an evacuation?

Get medical help immediately. Contact emergency services or the maternity team as appropriate, describe the symptoms, and say that you are pregnant. Tell shelter staff promptly if you are there. An evacuation or closed office does not make urgent warning signs safe to wait out.

Should I help remove wet drywall or clean a flooded home?

CDC advises pregnant and recently pregnant people to avoid strenuous disaster cleanup and mold-damaged buildings. Avoid contact with floodwater. Follow local safety instructions and ask others to handle hazardous cleanup; an ordinary household mask does not make every contaminated environment suitable.

What should we plan if we already have a baby?

Arrange a safe portable sleep space, diapers, feeding supplies, and a way to clean feeding equipment. If formula is used, ready-to-feed formula can be useful when safe water is unavailable. Follow the product preparation instructions and current local water guidance.

Should a disrupted appointment simply be skipped?

Contact the prenatal team when it is safe and explain which visit or test was missed. Ask whether another facility can provide the needed service and whether timing changes the next step. Keep pending tests on the emergency information sheet so they are not lost during a temporary change of care.

Related in the library

References

  1. Safety Messages for Pregnant, Postpartum, and Breastfeeding Women During Natural Disasters and Severe Weather

    CDC · https://www.cdc.gov/reproductive-health/emergency-preparation-response/safety-messages.html

  2. Emergency Kit Checklist: Pregnant Women, Infants, and Children

    CDC · https://www.cdc.gov/children-and-school-preparedness/resources/emergency-kit-checklist-pregnant-women-infants-and-children.html

  3. Emergency Preparedness: Hurricanes, Floods and Pregnancy

    CDC · https://www.cdc.gov/pregnancy/during/emergency-preparedness.html

  4. Urgent Maternal Warning Signs and Symptoms

    CDC · https://www.cdc.gov/hearher/maternal-warning-signs/index.html

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.