With fears about SARS growing every day, many young couples in Shanghai are putting off plans to have a baby this year, while doctors are cautioning expectant mothers to take extra care to avoid catching the deadly virus.

"I have postponed my pregnancy from this year to next year," said Zhu Haifang, a 29-year-old securities broker.

Zhu said she put off having a baby this year because the Year of the Sheep is considered a bad time to get pregnant by traditional Chinese thinking. She had hoped to get pregnant later this year and deliver the baby in the Year of the Monkey.

"But the continuous reports on SARS these days make me so frightened. If I get pregnant in the remaining few months while the disease is still sweeping China, both my baby and I will be in great danger by visiting hospitals for routine checks and living in the hospital during delivery. If I am infected with SARS, it will be terrible for the whole family," she added.

Zhu said she preferred to wait several months and reframe the schedule for delivering a child.

"The health of my child and myself is at this time my top priority," she stressed.

Women who are already pregnant should take strict preventive measures to avoid the disease, such as wearing masks and gloves, avoiding public venues and disinfecting their homes as often as possible, to ensure the safety of their babies, Shanghai medical experts said.

Officials from local maternity hospitals said they appreciate the pregnant women's precautions and they are warning expectant mothers to be careful during this special period of time.

"At present, there is no medical evidences to show SARS' impact on pregnancy and delivery. However, we have advised the women to be alert," said Chen Daning, a spokeswoman for Shanghai International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital.

"As it is a must to undergo an X-ray examination to identify SARS for people with flu-like symptoms like fever and cold, pregnant mothers should be extremely careful. Because an X-ray may result in malformation of the baby in the early stage of pregnancy," Chen added.

If an expectant mother is confirmed to have SARS, the huge amount of medicines she must take could be harmful to the fetus, doctors said.

(eastday.com April 28, 2003)