Long COVID Is Making Some People Choose Not to Have Kids

For a long time, Tessa thought about freezing her eggs once she turned 30, so she and her partner could have a child when they felt ready. But her 30th birthday came and went in March, and she’s made no moves to act on her plan. Tessa, who lives in Massachusetts and asked to be identified by only her first name to protect her privacy, developed Long COVID after a case of COVID-19 last May. Long COVID brought on intense fatigue, made it virtually impossible to exercise without crashing afterward, and worsened a preexisting nervous-system disorder that causes her to feel faint. Tessa is still able to work from home, but most days, she only has the energy to get out of the house for a short walk. At her current energy levels, she says it’s hard to imagine caring for a pet, let alone a child. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] “We’re both doing a lot just to take care of me right now,” Tessa says of herself and her partner. “It’s possible we’ll get to a place where we’d be able to [have a child], but it feels a lot harder now.” For many patients, Long COVID is more than a medical issue. It also affects work, relationships, and life plans—including when, how, and whether to have children. More from TIME [video id=PIMYtj8I autostart="viewable"] According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, about 25% of U.S. adults ages 18 to 39 who have had COVID-19 have experienced symptoms lasting at least three months...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized COVID-19 healthscienceclimate Source Type: news